Surprised? Yeah I am too. TRUST ME! I thought I was done with OTH fanfiction, I'd pretty much come to terms with the fact that my stories were going to be left unfinished and had considered deleting my profiles. Yet here I am with an offering for you, which I hope doesn't show my out of practice-ness too much. I'm not sure it's exactly where I was initially going with the story but I hope you enjoy it anyway, and now I have a bit restored faith in myself I'm hoping that I've broken some kind of damn with this! So please, read, enjoy, be honest but gentle I'm a bit rusty, and um, what else.. Oh! Happy New Year! :D

Thanks to Lori for betaing and to all my girlies for having more faith in me than I even did!

His hand gripped tightly on to the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white as he listened to his grandfather rattle off Duke's stats for the first semester, comparing the talent on the team to that of Gilmores, and making thinly veiled snide comments about big fishes in small ponds, vs big fishes in big ponds. If he'd ever doubted, it never took long for Royal to show him just where Dan got his charming personality whenever he visited. It wasn't like Nathan didn't already know everything he was being told, anyway. He'd be lying if he said despite how well his new team was doing, despite how happy he was living with his wife, baby son, and even his brother for the first time in his life, he didn't sometimes wonder how things might be for them if he hadn't been as stupid as to let Daunte push him into betraying the one thing in his life that had always been true to him, the one that that had kept him going before Haley came into his life, and even during the times Haley hadn't been there. There were times, when Lucas was locked away pining after Peyton, and Haley was working or studying out of the apartment late, and Jamie was fast asleep that he couldn't help but look up information on the team he should have been playing on, the dream he'd been so close to making a reality, but then Jamie would cry, and amongst the disgruntled groan he made as he pushed himself up of the counter there was a small smile, a smile that spoke of the dream was living now, and how everything was good as long as his family were by his side.

"Oh could we please table the basketball talk for another time?" Mae chastised her husband as she leaned over in her seat to catch her grandson's eye in the rear view mirror. "There will be plenty of time for that on this trip. We've only just arrived, and first of all I'd love to hear about the little man who we're here to honour. How is my beautiful great grandson?"

"Beautiful" Nathan agreed, instantly calmed at the mention of his son, and laughing to himself a little at the fact that he'd so pride fully call his son beautiful, a word that he'd often guffawed at Haley over when she'd tried to use it describe him. Beautiful wasn't exactly a manly word, but it was definitely apt to describe his baby boy. "He's started sitting up by himself, and I'm sure he's about to start crawling, although Haley thinks it'll be a few weeks yet, I just have a feeling..."

"Well Daddy's intuition can be very strong, Nathan, I wouldn't be surprised if you were right." The proud grandmother smiled on.

"Na, it's the mothers that have the intuition; if the Mrs. is saying he'll be a few weeks. He'll be a few weeks. They're always right, son, you'd do well to remember that one."

"Well I think you just went against your own advice there darling, because you've just contradicted me there." There was a twinkle in his Grandmothers eye as she teased his Grandpa that Nathan couldn't help but smile at. He'd never noticed it before, and maybe it was maturity that fatherhood had brought about him, but they really were in love, and his childish presumptions that Mae stayed with Royal despite his faults because she was intimidated were obviously far from wrong. The older man sat next to him transformed before his eyes as he looked back at his wife, and Nathan wondered if this what people were talking about when they said sometimes they didn't recognise him when he was with his family. "Now, I know Haley turned down my offer when we spoke last week but brought the christening gown with me anyway in the hopes I might be able to persuade her to change her mind. I'd so love to see my first great grandchild wear the same gown you and my boys wore."

Nathan shifted uncomfortably in the seat "Um, I think she's pretty set on Jamie wearing the James' gown, Grandma."

"Shame." The older woman sighed, shaking her head and although Nathan knew it wouldn't be the end of it he hoped he was wrong. He'd promised Haley he'd make this weekend go over smoothly, and truth be told the Scott's gown had been in the running for a while, until he himself had brought up the fact that he didn't like the idea of his son's soul being saved wearing the same thing Dan had worn while he was renounced of all his forefathers sins. He hadn't cared to begin with but after having so sit though the mandatory sermons, and classes the church had insisted upon for them to get their child baptised there even his less than religious self thought that it wouldn't be the best omen for Jamie's future. "She's a good girl though, I'm sure if I just explain to her..."

"Grandma, really. I think she's made up her mind." His tone was slightly harsher than intended but he wanted to do his best to keep his promise to Haley, and he really didn't like the idea of people thinking they could sway Haley's good nature into making Jamie's christening more about them than it was her. Like he'd said to her earlier, it was her and Jamie's day, and he wasn't going to let anyone forget that.

"Watch your tone boy." Royal muttered, shaking his head at his Grandson who just glanced over with a somewhat apologetic look before reaching for the radio dial and switching on to Sports Talk radio. The basketball talk his grandmother had hoped to postpone filling the car. Despite all its problems it was still the biggest olive branch any Scott knew how to offer.

"Oh Haley he's just gorgeous!" Lydia crooned again, how many times Haley had lost count but never tired of her hearing. She worried, like she had about many things over the year, that being the youngest of so many would mean when it came her turn to do thinks her parents would be bored, but her Mom hadn't let anyone else even have a chance to hold Jamie since they arrived a little over an hour ago and seemed perfectly content to talk baby talk to her newest grandchild and ignore everyone else in the room. "Yes, yes you are. Grandma's going to just eat you all up! Yes she is."

"I think we've lost your Mother to baby fever once again, Bob." Jimmy said, wrapping his arm around his youngest daughter as she snuggled into his side, content to just watch her Mom and sister coo and play with her child across the room. Her smile faltered a little as out of the corner of her eye as she caught Lucas and JJ talking and laughing. Other than a hug hello, and a 'not bad' as he glanced over their mom's shoulder at the child JJ seemed completely uninterested in the nephew he'd never met before, he'd spent the whole time since he'd arrived hanging out with Lucas and fear crept up in Haley's stomach. He'd been quite vocal about his disapproval of Haley's young start on marriage and parenthood, and although he'd never said so directly to her it hadn't taken long for someone else to pass the message of his disapproval on. She'd thought that turning up for Jamie's christening, in the way he hadn't for her vowel renewal the previous year had meant he was over it, she hoped that hope hadn't been misplaced. "Although he looks just like you did, sweetheart, so we can't really blame her."

"Oh, I don't know." Taylor piped up, that smirk that always made Haley's hair stand on end spreading across her lips. "I think he kinda looks like Lucas."

The blonde uncles head snapped up, his conversation with Haley's brother stopping instantly as he glared at the girl crouched down beside his nephew. He didn't get why people always said that. Lots of babies were fair and Haley sported her own naturally blonde locks. Besides he and Nathan were brothers for God's sake of course they had similarities.

"Oh don't look so scowl-y." The elder James girl stood up, addressing the best friends as she happily took her father's other side, prodding Haley's wrinkled nose playfully. "Lucas is a fiiiine looking boy; it's a compliment to both baby and man."

"Oh Tay, shut up." The young mother rolled he eyes at her sister who making blatant eye sex at her brother in law across the room. Lucas shifting uncomfortably before excusing himself. "See what ya do!"

"Oh he loves it, loved it since he was 14 and I caught him sneaking a peak at me in the shower when he was supposed to be doing homework with you."

"And we know how much you used to love 14 year old boys don't we, Taylor." JJ joined in on the sibling teasing as he finally took his own seat in Deb's decadently decorated living room.

"Must you really bring that up?" Haley growled. Practically the first thing he'd said to any of them but Lucas since he'd arrived and it was referencing their sister and her husband's past. One she'd really prefer her parents not pick up on even if most of her siblings knew by now.

"Yeah JJ, shut up." Taylor growled identically, as had always been the case with the two youngest James'. It was perfectly okay for her to rile Haley up, but she didn't like it much when the others did it. With a final icy stare in the boy's direction the well practiced, and signature of all the James girls' pout formed on her lips as she all but stomped over to Lydia and Jamie. "Now Mom, pleeeaassseee can I hold the baby!"

"Sorry Taylor, but Daddy's home now." Nathan spoke confidently, striding into the room and kissing the top of Haley's head before taking the child his mother in law offered up to him.

"But you see him all the time." Taylor whined, sulking once again to her father's side like the daddy's girl she had once been.

"And he's also Jamie's favourite." Haley said detangling herself from her dad, who would have admitted if asked that he felt a loss as she did, it had been a long time since he'd been able to hold two of his girls at once. "It's a good thing Mom handed him over when she did or you'd all witness just how much James he has him when he screams the house down with those healthy lungs. He's such a daddy's boy."

"And how is Daddy?" Lydia stood up from her seat and hugged both her son in law and grandson, having to move up on her tip toes to do so. "You do know it's the baby that's supposed to grow not you don't you? Are you taller?"

"No," Nathan laughed. "If only."

"If only? You've already got on a foot on her Nate, anymore and that little cutie's going to be the only one you have because it's going to be impossible for the two of you get it on."

"Now, Taylor, you must know height doesn't matter when you're lying down!"

"Mom!"

"Taylor!"

"Lydia!"

Haley, Jimmy's, and JJ's voices rang out simultaneous as Nathan shuffled the child in his arms uncomfortably. He'd never understand the openness his in-laws had about sex. Even back when he and Haley were dating Lydia had tried to offer him condoms and talk to him openly about the sex life he wasn't even having with her daughter back then. He didn't know if he made it better or worse that they were actually having sex when the comments were made now, the undisputable proof currently tugging on his nose.

"Now, didn't Haley say you were off picking up your grandparents Nate?" Jimmy spoke up, trying to steer the conversation away from his daughters' sex lives. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't aware that none of his children were virgins. Taylor seemed to have inherited her mother's 'sex is nothing to be embarrassed about' gene, and therefore didn't even attempt to make it a secret that she had...experience, but he chose to store that information back in the dark corners of his mind that also stored the knowledge he wasn't the number one guy in most of their lives anymore, and ironically it was Taylor's lack of settling down that comforted him with the knowledge that at least one of his little girls still held Daddy dearest. Unlike his youngest who was currently tucked into the side of the tall young man before him, smiling lovingly up at both him and the child in his arms. He'd settle for a well placed third there, or even fourth he was forced to muse as Lucas finally walked back into the room, catching Haley's eye who winked at him in a show of solidarity.

Sitting down on the window seat Nathan bounced the baby on his knee as Haley sat down next to him. Stroking her son's cheek and being rewarded with a gummy grin and an unintelligible word she liked to think had began as Mama in Jamie's tiny brain.

"I did, they wanted to go back to the hotel to settle in, they did say they were looking forward to meeting you all tomorrow. Hales, Grandma said she'd call you in the morning." He added on before he forgot. Memory was not his forte and neither wife nor Grandmother would be pleased if he didn't pass on that message.

"Well, we look forward to meeting them too. Haley's spoken nothing but praise of your Grandmother and I look forward to meeting her." Lydia smiled. "Now, my babies, I think it's time that Dad and I head over to Karen's. She's being nice enough to put us up for this trip and I'd actually like to have a conversation with my dear friend before all the travelling catches up on me. Lucas baby would you like a lift home?"

"No, I'm good thanks, I've got my car." Lydia had been referring to Lucas as one of her babies for as long as he could remember; he didn't bat an eyelid at the term of endearment. "Tell my Mom I won't be late."

"Will do. What about you? Taylor? JJ?"

"Yes please," Taylor jumped up first "Could you drop me into town? I told some friends I'd meet them. You wanna come?" She addressed her brother who Haley couldn't help but noticed jumped up quickly at the invitation. She wondered if she was being paranoid or if he didn't want to be around her family without a buffer of their shared one. "I'd ask the boring old married couple but I get the feeling I know the answer already, and you Lukey boy are more than welcome, if you think you can trust yourself around me."

"Taylor." Haley warned, at both being called boring, and constant hitting on Lucas. Although she'd take that over her hitting on Nathan. "He has a girlfriend."

"I know, I got the email of people it would be inappropriate for me to hook up with this weekend, Bub." Nathan laughed as Haley's cheeks flushed. She'd kept that one quiet.

"Let me get you guys a key." Handing their child over to his mother Nathan stood up and headed to the kitchen, and the envelope of containing the spare keys Haley had had cut in anticipation of their houseguests.

"Please don't come back too late okay?" Haley pleaded with her siblings, after her parents had kissed both her and her son goodbye and headed out to their R.V. "We've got a lot to do this weekend and I'd really appreciate it if you guys remembered there's a baby in this house."

"God, you even sound like a mother." JJ ran a hand threw his dark blonde hair and shook his head in a mixture it seemed of disgust and astonishment

"She is one, dumbass." Taylor took the baby from Haley's arms and waved him under his uncles nose before hugging him close and breathing in. "If you promise I can hold the snugly one all night I'll just stay in."

Smiling at the sight of her nephew cuddling up to his aunt's breast Haley was taken a back a little at how genuine her sister's offer seemed to be. He was such a trusting baby, never having met a person who didn't love him, and he didn't love back, it touched Haley so much to see it being her sibling he was cuddled up with this time instead of her husband's.

A horn honked on the drive as Nathan walked back in the room, trading a reluctant Taylor the baby for the key. "Go have your fun tonight Taylor, because we'll be hitting you up for babysitting the rest of your visit, I can promise you that."

"Take advantage of Mom's lying down advice?" Taylor wiggled her eyebrows as J.J and Lucas locked eyes and groaned.

"Brothers in the room." They spoke up simultaneously. J.J waving and ducking out of the room quickly, and abruptly not wanting to hear any further.

"I know you two are relatively new to the brother's thing, Luke, but most guys don't care when their brother's sex life is brought up."

"I wasn't referring to my connection to Nathan." The blonde man wrapped his arm around his sister in law and hugged her tight. "I was referring to my S.I.L."

"Yeah you were!" Haley grinned, looking up at Lucas before sticking her tongue out at Taylor whose smile faltered for a second as she watched the good natured ribbing that began between the trio before her. Lucas had always been in Haley's life, and Nathan and Jamie always would be, but knowing all this didn't stop the uneasiness she felt at being so disjointed from her baby sisters life, and the family they'd created for themselves.

"Right, well, alcohol and Daddy's novelty horn are calling my name. I promise I'll be early-ish, quiet, and even alone when I come back!"

"Uh, Tay," Haley said walking over to hug her sister goodbye. "Don't be alone."

"Reeaallly?" The older girl's eyebrows perked up. She'd been planning on being good for Haley's sake, but if she really didn't mind there were a couple of ex boyfriends she knew would be in attendance at this little shindig that was being thrown in honour of her return to Tree Hill.

"I mean," The younger sister drew out, tapping her sister's shoulder lightly and raising her eyes heavenward at Taylor's reaction. "Make sure JJ's with you."

"Oh, right, I forgot about him he's been so quiet." The pair walked into the foyer, and Taylor opened the front door signalling she'd be a couple more moments.

"You noticed it too?" Haley pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and sighed. "I was hoping I was being paranoid."

"Want me to talk to him?"

"No," She shook her head, smiling gratefully at her older sister, warmed by the look of concern the eyes that mirrored her own displayed. "I will, when the time's right. I just thought..."

She paused, trying to work out how to put what she was feeling into words " ....he hadn't even seen Jamie before today. I thought him coming was a good sign you know?"

"Oh, Hay, of course it's a good sign, but he's stubborn, he's always been stubborn. You're going to have to meet him more than half way on this one I think."

"I can hardly push Jamie back in!"

"...and on that lovely, disgusting note, I'm going to go. We'll talk more when I get home if you're up, or when you bring me my breakfast in bed in the morning if you're not."

"Uh, yeah, right." Haley scoffed, although she might stretch to a cup of coffee in bed if Taylor was lucky. Despite their ups and downs she really was thrilled her big sister was home. It would be even better when Quinn, Vivian, and Michael arrived. They hadn't all been together since Quinn got married two years previous. A two year period in which she'd married, recorded a record, toured, and come back home to have a baby in.

"And what are my boys doing?" Haley asked as she walked back into the living room having waved her family goodbye, plopping down on the sofa next to her husband and son.

"You okay, Hales?" Lucas ignored her question and stopped flicking through the many more channels than they had in their modest home that Deb's satellite dish afforded them, and took in the sag in his friend's tight shoulders, and the wrinkle that appeared between her eyes showing she was deep in thought.

"Yeah baby, are you okay?" Even Jamie seemed to show his concern as he reached his small hand out toward his mom.

Closing her eyes and laying her head back against the plush headrest of the sofa Haley breathed deeply before turning to look into her husband's concerned blue eyes. "I just feel like they couldn't get away fast enough."

"Your parents?" Lucas questioned, and she rolled her neck so she could look over at him without having to lift her head.

"Them, Tay....J.J....."

"Babe they're just tired from their trip, and Taylor could smell booze, and boys you really expect her to want to stay in with the boring married people."

"We're not boring married people." The young wife defended, "Do you think we're boring married people?"

"Of course not." Nathan laughed, adjusting them so both Haley and Jamie were laid against him, running a hand through her thick hair, rubbing at the worry lines on her forehead.

"Yea, less of the lumping me in with that thanks!"

"You're right. Being part of a boring married couple means I get laid. Closest thing you get is phone sex."

"I'm glad this day seems to be over because the topic of the day seems to be your sex life." Lucas cringed.

"Well, everyone is here to celebrate the product of that very active sex life." Nathan teased, drawing out the last four words to make his brother squirm. It really would never get old.

"Can we stop saying S-E-X in front of the B-A-B-Y!"

The brothers looked at each other before bursting into laughter. "Why spell baby, Hales?"

"Don't make fun of me." Smacking her husband on the chest Haley disentangled herself from his hold and took the afore spelled bundled of joy into her arms. "I know it's early for him but this b-a-b-y is falling asleep so I'm going to take him up."

"I'll come tuck him in too." Nathan said quickly. Eager to be part of his son's bedtime routine for the first time in what felt like forever.

The young couple made their way upstairs and bathed their son in a comfortable silence; the only words spoken being directed at the child as they focussed entirely on their son.

"He's really missed you." Haley spoke, as they stood above the crib, watching Jamie's chest rise and fall beneath his little blue blanket. "We've both missed you."

"I've missed you both too." Nathan hugged Haley's body to his, her back pressed tightly against his chest. Leaning down he kissed her sweatshirt covered shoulder before pushing at the neck to expose some skin for his lips to find.

"What are you doing?" Haley murmured, unable to bring herself to push him away. The feel of his lips on her skin had felt like a distant memory, the kisses hello they'd shared hours previously had only served to remind them both of what they'd missed and she never had gotten the chance to welcome him home.

"Showing you how much I've missed you." His lips barely left her skin as he answered her, taking her hand and pulling her away from the crib and out of the nursery into their own room across the hall.

He sat down on the bed and opened his knees for her to stand between, and she stood before him, allowing him run his hands up and down the soft material of her sweatshirt, moulding into her body before instructing her to hold up her arms as he rid her of it, greedily taking in the sight of her full breasts bouncing lightly in the small tight tank top she was wearing underneath. "God I've missed you."

"You do realise you directed that entirely to my breasts don't you?" She teased, and he cocked an eyebrow at her, that well known, knee weakening smirk gracing his handsome features.

"Who did you think I was talking to?"

"Very..." She pushed at his shoulders sending him lying back on their bed before she straddled his lap."...Funny."

"Who's joking?" He wrapped his around her waist before moving them both back so they were lying comfortably on the big bed. He brought his hands to her face, his fingers pushing her thick hair away from her face, holding it strongly as he kissed her, his tongue seeking and instantly granted access. "Why did I leave again?"

"Basketball, your dream, the way you plan to support our family... any of this ringing a bell."

"We'll live on income support and loan Jamie out as a child model if it means I get to spend a few hours every day in bed with you."

"A few hours eh?"

"Oh yes, a few, pleasurable, tortuous, wonderful hours, babe, I've got plans for you." His lips began their path of trying to cover every inch of newly exposed skin, squeezing her butt as he held their jean covered hips together.

"Lucas..."

"No," He laughed, "Nathan, or God, you seem quite fond of calling me that one too."

Laughing she pushed off him, hitting him solidly in the shoulder. "Lucas is downstairs."

"So? At home he's just down the hall and that doesn't stop you. Hell, you've let me get to third base while he's asleep in a chair across the room."

Blushing at the memory Haley held her hand across his mouth, as if trying to push the words back in scared somehow they' travelled down the hall and the impressive staircase and into her best friends ears. "You said we wouldn't mention that, and that's different."

"How?" He asked, muffled by her hand she sent him a disgusted look as she wiped her now spit covered hand on his t-shirt covered chest.

"He's home there, he's always going to be there. Here he's going to leave, he's going to want to say goodbye, and he's a guest."

"He's not a guest. He's family. Isn't that what you always used to say back when we had the apartment."

"That's true, but I wouldn't let you have sex with me with Lucas in the next room then either. Go downstairs and entertain your brother. I'll be down in a sec."

Cursing under his breath as Haley rolled off of him, pulling her sweatshirt back over her head as she walked in to the bathroom he sighed. He was never going to get that welcome home sex she'd teased him with he was beginning to be sure of it. At least she no longer looked on the verge of tears though, which had been his main intention when he'd joined her in putting their son to bed. Although not his only, he did always intend on making love with Haley whenever the opportunity would arise.

"So did she talk about J.J?" Lucas asked moments later, when Nathan had calmed himself down enough to come back downstairs, taking the remote from Lucas' hands hand ignoring the elder Scott's protests as he began channel surfing.

"Didn't mention him at all." Nathan replied punching the throw pillow beneath his head before lounging back. "It's obviously getting to her though."

"What we gonna do?"

"Well, you're going to make sure I don't hit him if he makes one more muttered comment, or she sends one more hurt look in his direction."

"On it." Nothing good would come of Nathan hitting his brother in law, and making sure his brother didn't would help stop Lucas being overcome with the urge to himself. Haley used to worship J.J and as far as he could remember when they were growing up it had gone both ways. It appeared though that J.J couldn't wrap his head around the fact that Haley was no longer the 10 year old who thought the sun rose and set with him. Which Lucas could kind of relate to, there having been a time when had thought Nathan was far from what Haley needed, but where as he had, had the luxury of watching Haley and Nathan's love develop, and therefore realise that his brother was good for her, and how good they were for each other, J.J hadn't. He'd met Nathan a handful of times, and then heard the young man had married and knocked up his sister. Lucas had to admit that he might be able to see, (in a small, tiny, not going to affect his desire to protect Haley's feelings way,) where the older boy might be coming from.

"Are you picking Peyton up tomorrow?"

"No, her dad wants to pick her up, but she's promised to call me as soon as she gets home."

"You're pathetic." Nathan laughed, teasing at the way his brothers eye lit him at the thought of his girlfriend's home coming.

"Shut up. You see Haley everyday and you still act like an abandoned pup if she has a late class and you don't see her all day. You're pathetic."

"You're both pathetic." Haley piped up walking into the room and draping herself over her husband's stretched out body. "But I love you anyway, now hand me the remote because Friday nights are my turn to choose!"