Hello Readers, well we have to the end (finally) I know it's taken forever to get here and while this ending is pretty cheesy I hope that you all enjoy it. I'd like to thank all of you who have read and reviewed and alerted this story it means a lot. A special thank you to theresatheresa20 you are amazing my friend and I'm thankful that you got me back into writing this story so I was able to finish it:)

So wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Safe 2011.

Much Love and Thanks Chelle xoxo

Chapter 20

Nathan POV

The 21st of December came much quicker than I thought it would. I was waiting at the airport for Chase and Brooke to get in. It had been a hard couple of weeks trying to explain to everyone where I had been, Jamie and Sophie were easy, Haley had explained to them the I'd gone one a business trip to New York and we had bumped into each other while she was visiting Chase and Brooke and that we had made up and very much loved each other still and we were going to be a family again, to which they happily excepted

The others were harder – my thoughts drifted to us arriving home

It was late as Haley and I pulled up having to go past the airport first to collect her car, only a couple of lights were on and we knew the kids were already in bed

"I forgot to ask, who is with the kids?" I question as she opens the front door

"Your mom, Deb I'm home" she called out as I went into panic mode

"Haley, oh sweetie it's so good to have you back…" she trailed off noticing me "Nathan?"

"Hey mom" I said lamely before she walked up and slapped me square across the face just as Haley had done the day before

"How dare you leave me and your wife and kids with just a letter?"

"I know, it was the worst thing I have ever done, okay but I need you to forgive me like Haley has"

"She has?" my mom asked turning to look at Haley

"I have" she said nodding before walking over to me and wrapping her arms around me "Nathan is moving back in Deb, it's time we all got over this"

"I can't believe it, we have all been waiting so long for this day" he anger was fading I could tell and then she pulled Haley and myself into a hug and we spent the rest of the night explain to her what happened

"Nate?" Brooke question bring me out of my memories to see her and Chase standing before me looking confused

"Hey sorry, caught up in my own thought, how was the flight?"

"Fine, I have no idea why we didn't just drive, but we are here now" Chase said I nodded know he hadn't had any say on their travel plans

"Well everyone is really looking forward to seeing you again. Haley has gone all out this year even saving our tree for tonight to be decorated so you guys could be here" I tell them as we pile into the car and head for home

"Everyone together for Christmas it's so exciting" Brooke exclaimed from the back seat like a child clapping her hands together as Chase and I both rolled our eyes

I pulled up at the house and Brooke was out of the car the moment it stopped and up the stairs

"What did she take this morning?" I asked Chase as we got the bags and headed in after her

"Nothing, well nothing I know of" He joked as Sophie ran towards us

"Uncle Chase!"

"Hey munchkin" He said talking her into his arms and hugging her "It's almost Christmas, have you been good for Santa?"

"I'm always good" she exclaimed smiling brightly as we made our way towards the guest room, Sophie still in Chase's arms

"Did your mom get out the decorations while I was gone?"

"Yes daddy, when can we put them on the tree?"

"Tonight" I promised "Uncle Luke and Auntie Peyton are coming for dinner and then we can do it"

"Okay" she said satisfied with my answer "Come on mommy made cookies and her, Auntie Brook and Jamie will eat them all if we don't hurry"

"You guys go on, I'll meet you in a minute, I've got to check on something"

"Well hurry Daddy" Sophie said with hands on her hips

"I will" I told her as we parted

Haley POV

I heard the car pull up and knew Nathan was back from the airport. The kids had slept in this morning which was a nice change; I on the other hand had been up setting up the guest room for Chase and Brooke, put the washing on and went for a run all before the rest of the house was up. The other three stumbled down stairs as I was serving out the French toast I'd made for breakfast. After showering I sent Nathan off to the airport and I went around getting everything else ready – Christmas decorations were retrieved from the basement and I started on a batch of sugar cookies and some almond bread – The house smelt like Christmas and I loved it.

"Hello? Where are my favorite people?"

"In the kitchen Brooke" I called out with her busting into the room only moments later wrapping her arms around me in a big bear hug

"Oh I've missed you tutormom"

"I've missed you too Brooke" I tell her returning her hug

"It smells amazing in here; I can't believe how much it feels like Christmas in your house

I laugh "I've always loved Christmas" I tell her as Jamie and Sophie walk in running to hug Brooke

"Hey guys, it's so great to see you both"

"Auntie Brooke, I've missed you, please don't stay away too long next time" Jamie tells her and I can see her heartbreaking as Sophie takes off out of the room

"Oh buddy, I'll try and come more often"

"Good; now mom made cookies, do you want one?"

"I've love one" she says smiling

I grab the cookies off the cooling rack and put some on a plate also boiling the kettle for a hot drink. Brooke and Jamie are sitting at the counter as Sophie pulls Chase into the room

"Hey Hales" Chase says pulling me into a hug and kissing my cheek "How's it all going?"

"Really good" I tell him knowing his question had a deeper meaning than the kids would realize "Coffee?"

"Sure that would be great"

I got out some mugs chatting with Chase and Brooke before Jamie and Sophie pulled them into the lounge to show them the tree. I set to making the drinks and placing the almond bread and remaining cookies into some Tupperware containers when some arms snaked around me from behind "Hey gorgeous" Nathan whispers kissing my hair

"Hey" I say turning in his arms "thanks for going to the airport"

"Anytime, I'm glad they could make it this year. It will be nice for us all to be together again"

"It will" I say pulling him towards me and kissing him deeply

The afternoon past quickly and before I knew it we were eating pizza and decorating the tree. Our house over the days leading up to Christmas became like base camp people coming and going, the day after Chase and Brooke arrived Deb came with lights for the boys to set up on the outside of the house so as the guys did that us girls headed out to do some last minute shopping. These days were spent with friends we considered family – the kids playing in the snow, Christmas movies on every night and my favorite reason for the season, the music. I had it playing all day long as we went about our days.

On Christmas Eve we all had lunch at Karen's before she closed at two pm for the holiday. After lunch the guys took the kids to the Rivercourt as us girl headed home to prepare for the next day.

Once home we threw off our coats and headed into the kitchen I put the kettle on as Brooke took some mugs out of the cupboard. I place some cookies on a tray and made hot chocolates and coffee and we made our way through to the lounge

"So Haley, since it's just us girls tell us how you are really feeling about Nathan and everything" Bevin asked

"It's great" I say honestly "We have really worked through things in the last couple of weeks and I guess it wasn't hard because I've always loved him, I just needed to learn to forgive him"

"I'm so happy for you Hales" Rachel said hugging me from her stop next to me on the sofa

"This really is a perfect Christmas" Brooke added as Peyton got teary

"Stupid baby hormones, I can't believe you guys are making me cry" She exclaimed which caused us all to laugh at her

We spent the afternoon together with our memories ad before we knew it the guys had return with the kids, with everyone now in the lounge I headed back into the kitchen to try and figure out what we should do for dinner

Staring into the pantry I closed my eyes – nothing was jumping out at me, tow arms came around my waist "Let's just get take out, you will be cooking enough tomorrow" Nathan said

I turned around to face him "See this is why I love you"

"Because I'll order take out?"

"No" I laughed "because you always know what I'm thinking"

After dinner we sent the kids off to bed and sat around talking, Deb heading to bed soon after claiming for the first time I'd ever heard that she was getting too old to stay up till all hours. An hour later we all decided to follow suit, so after placing all the presents under the tree for the next morning we all went off to bed

"I'm glad we can all be together tomorrow morning" I say to Nathan as we get ready for bed

"Yeah I'm thankful for so many guest rooms. What time will Karen and Lily be here?"

"She said about nine in the morning, her and Lily always do some tradition about Keith Christmas morning just the two of them"

"That's nice, a good way to remember him" Nathan added as he climbed into bed next to me and pulled me close "Hey look at the time, Merry Christmas Hales"

"Merry Christmas Nate" I say seeing that the clock had flicked over to midnight, I lean up and kiss him "I love you"

"I love you too, Night Hales"

Christmas morning was busy, breakfast and nine just after Karen and Lily arrived, then showers were had and the kids watched a Christmas movie while the girls and I prepared a huge Christmas lunch. While eating I looked around the table happily, Karen and Deb snapping photos of the day while the others laughed and jokes with each other.

Once lunch was over and we had made the boys do the dishes we moved into the lounge, paper went flying as the presents were opened

"Hales, you have one more" Brooke said handing me a small box I opened the paper and sure enough inside was a jewelry box

"What is it?" Bevin asked

I opened the box and found it empty "Nothing" I said showing then the box but as I turned to look at Nathan he was once again down on one knee in front of me, holding a gorgeous ring

"Hales, I love you so much, I know this will make it a third time, but you know that they say third time is a charm. So will you Marry Me…Again?"

My eyes welled up as I nodded my head at him "Yes Nathan, I'll marry you…again" he slid the ring on my finger and stood up and hugged me lifting me off the ground and swinging me around as the room cheered

"Oh and Nathan" I say after he places me back on the ground "I love you too"

The End