"Aunt Brooke how much longer?" Sawyer asked her aunt as they sat around the kitchen.

"Like I said 5 minutes ago, I'm not sure… they should be here soon." Brooke answered trying not to get exasperated. There are only so many times you can answer the 'why' questions.

"How long is soon?"

"Longer than you'll live if you don't drop the subject!" Brooke answered coming over to tickle Sawyer before she erupted into squeals of laughter.

A few moments later they heard the front door opening followed by someone calling through the house. "Hello?! Anyone home?"

Brooke barely had time to get up off the floor, before Sawyer jumped up and throttled to the front door, jumping into her mothers arms.

"Mama!" she exclaimed hugging her tight around the neck. Peyton hugged her daughter back just as tight. This was exactly the reception she was hoping for.

"Missed you baby girl! Did you have fun with Aunt Brooke?"

"Yup! Daddy gave you a surprise!"

"He sure did! You were very good to keep it a secret!"

"I'm a good girl!" Before she could continue her conversation she caught sight of her father, approaching from the car. She wriggled free from her mother's tight grip and launched herself at her father.

"Daddy! Mama was surprised!"

"She sure was hun! Wow – that's quite a hug you have there!" Lucas choked as his daughter hugged him tight around his neck.

"Three days worth" Sawyer explained

"Ahh I see!"

In the meantime Brooke had joined them in the doorway and was smiling at their reunion. Peyton smiled at her best friend.

"Thanks so much for doing this! How did Julian cope?"

"It was no problem, honestly! Julian did surprisingly well! I might have to leave again, next time we get Sawyer! But – how was your trip!?"

"Amazing!" Both Peyton and Lucas answered together, catching each other's gaze through the corner of each others eyes.

Haley was sitting at the piano, with Amelia sitting in her lap, hitting the keys at random intervals. Evidently pleased with her efforts, she started to hit the keys harder, gurgling each time they made a noise. Haley smiled at her daughters enthusiasm at the piano. She was trying to compose a song, but had given up suffering from 'writers block'. Bits of it were great, but there was just something missing… yet she couldn't put her finger on it. To try and clear her mind, Haley decided that entertaining a gummy baby would be much more effective. It was hard to believe that her little baby was almost 7 months old! Granted it did mean that she was able to move around and have a little more free time, but she missed the little infant.

Nathan walked into the room to see what was going on. "Hey" he said, smiling at the picture in front of him. It was always so hard for him to head off during the week to training, when he had to always leave his family behind. They had considered moving closer, but both Haley and Nathan knew that nowhere else would feel like home.

"Hey" Haley responded.

"Working hard I see?!"

"Distracting myself more like!"

"Ah well, a break is good." Nathan replied, coming closer to Haley. She leaned into him as he sat behind her on the piano.

"I wish you didn't have to go…"

"You and me both"

They both sat in a companionable silence for a while, before Haley interrupted

"Can I run an idea past you?!"

"Sure, you know you can run anything by me."

"So I was thinking… I have always loved teaching…"

"Yeah"

"But I haven't been teaching, due to everything else going on, what with trying to write another album, with Amelia and Jaime to care for, and the odd music student I have."

"Hard to fit anything else in…"

"Yeah, but that's the thing… I really miss the teaching. I want to teach, but I don't want to go back to a school. So I was thinking… I might start up a tutoring centre."

Haley paused to see what Nathan's reaction would be, only to be met by silence. Eventually she looked up to see him smiling down at her. "Hales I think that's an awesome idea. Didn't I always say you were the best tutor?"

"You really think it could work?"

"Absolutely!"

"You don't think I'm crazy and putting too much on my plate?"

"Well.. I think you'll be incredibly busy, but I also think if this is really what you want to do then go for it!"

Haley said nothing more, but lent in to kiss him.

Brooke pulled up a seat next to Julian who was already resting with his feet up on the sofa. Casually, she nuzzled into his neck, and closed her eyes.

"Peace at last!" Brooke said.

"Amazing how quiet the house seems after one person leaves the house"

"Albeit one very loud, crazy, can't sit still for more than 30 seconds person"

"Yeah…. It was fun though wasn't it?"

"Surprisingly…. Yes, I enjoyed it! She's a good kid"

"She is isn't she?"

Brooke smiled up at Julian. She was glad that he had enjoyed the company of Sawyer over the weekend, seeing him develop from a guy that hated all kids, to one that 'didn't mind some'. One thing Brooke couldn't get over was how much time and energy it took running after Sawyer. She certainly was an active and mischievous child! Utterly exhausted, Brooke thought she better get up and head off to bed. But it was so comfortable here, next to Julian… maybe if she just lay here for a few more minutes…

"Really? For that long? Are you sure something else can't be arranged?"

Luke paused while the other person at the end of the line chatted. He was on the phone organising his book deal.

"No, no I do. It's just that, well… I have a young family, and what you are talking about is an awfully long time to be away from home…"

"No, of course, I understand…. Yes, of course I'm still interested. Thanks. Yes, I'll speak to you in a few days."

Lucas hung up the phone and sighed. Stupid book deals. Who made all the arrangements with these anyway? Not wanting to dwell on the matter, he quickly got up and started preparing dinner. He had to think of a plan of how to break the news to Peyton…

Some time later, as the food was baking in the oven, Lucas heard Peyton and Sawyer come through the front door.

"Hello?!" Peyton called.

"Daddyyyy we're home!!"

Smiling, Lucas got up to greet his family.

"Hey chicken! How was your day?!" Lucas asked his daughter, while embracing Peyton and kissing her quickly.

"Mama's got big news!" Sawyer answered clearly very excited.

"Really big news?!" Lucas asked turning his question to Peyton.

"Oh yeah, only that I'm the coolest and best record label on this face of the earth"

"Oh I could have told you that" Lucas said embracing her.

"So then what is the big news?"

"Oh you know, nothing big, only that I landed that massive record deal for that new band "Corporate Jets"

"OMG Peyton that's amazing! Looks like tonight is a night for celebrations then!"

"Really?!"

"Yeah – I just got off the phone from the publishing company. They want a book tour. First for about 8 weeks, but I'm apparently going to be travelling pretty heavily for the next few months. They want to re-release Ravens and Comet, but they also want to go global…"

Peyton took a while to respond.

"Wow…. That's just…. Wow… Lucas that's amazing! I'm so proud of you! I knew you could do it!"

"Your art matters eh?!"

"Definitely" Peyton said leaning in to give him a big kiss.

While Peyton certainly was happy for Lucas, this after all, was something he always dreamed of… the publishers must be impressed… to go global! Yet, something, in the pit of her stomach was telling her that things were about to change. Travel meant more time away from home. Fame meant less times like the ones they were currently sharing. Popularity meant busier schedules for the both of them and more time to juggle between each other. Peyton never wanted to be one of those couples that were like passing ships in the night. She could never let that happen to her and Lucas. Not now, not when they had so many good things going for them.

Lucas was sitting on the couch digesting what his publisher had told him over the phone. Was he really ready for this lifestyle? He remembered what it was like; doing the book tours with Lyndsay… it all seemed so different back then. But now, his priorities had changed. He didn't know if he could spend weeks at a time away from his family. From Peyton, missing moments of Sawyer growing up. Yet, how could he refuse such an offer. To do so would be ludicrous! Yet, his publisher Tony, was pretty clear on what he wanted. He loved Lucas' work. Loved his previous books and loved the newest "One in a Million". He believed that he could make the "Comet" receive the praise it deserved. Yet, that included Lucas promoting the books in a big way also. First the US and Canada, then overseas – UK, Australia… Europe…

It all sounded great on paper…. The lifestyle of the rich and famous… yet, just how exactly would they balance family life and business life. Luke knew he never wanted to be one of those fathers that only came home once a month, and brought guilt presents to buy his kids love. He wanted to be there, every step of the way. To experience every moment with them. Then, like the icing on the cake… there was this whole baby thing…. How was that supposed to continue when he was barely home?

Lucas was snapped out of his thoughts as he felt Peyton wrap her arms around him from behind the couch. "She's down for the night" Peyton whispered in his ear before kissing him on the cheek. "I'm so proud of you Luke. I always knew you could do this!" Was she saying this to convince herself that she was happy for him, or because she genuinely was, Peyton wondered.

"Are you happy for me?" Lucas asked. "Because I don't know if I am happy for me."

Peyton looked at him confused. This is not what she expected to hear.

"It's a great opportunity… I can't turn it down…. But… can we do this Peyton? All of this? Be successful career driven people and a loving family that doesn't get screwed over?"

Peyton felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulder. He felt the same way…

"Honestly Luke? I don't know…. But I do know that we'll both put family first and know when to call it quits…"

"Yeah… you're right… I know you're right… I mean look at Nathan and Hales right?!

"Yeah…. Nathan and Hales"…