"I still can't believe that the both of you are pregnant together! It's like some kind of a high school pact or something!" commented Haley as the girls sat around her kitchen bench. It was one of their regular pow wow's with Brooke, Peyton, Millie, Mia and herself. Jaime was off amusing Amelia and Sawyer, while the girls caught up on the latest gossip in each others lives.

"Well believe me mine wasn't planned…. Obviously!" Brooke responded. "What a way to break up a relationship hey? Honey I'm pregnant! And Poof – there he goes never to be seen from again!"

The girls looked at each other uncomfortably unsure whether to laugh or to hug their friend. Luckily, in Brooke style she cleared up the air almost immediately adding "But our friend Peyton here… I think it's safe to say that hers was very much planned! I don't think a baby could be any more planned!"

"Well maybe that's why everything is going so stress free this time. We wasted all the stress on the pre-pregnancy stuff. There just wasn't enough stress and worry for it to go badly" Peyton joked.

The girls continued to joke and catch up on the latest news, before returning to their more interesting subject of their prospective partners. Millie, commenting on how traumatic her recent visit to her parents was, Mia, about how hard it was to make time to see Chase in between both of their busy schedules, Haley about how stressed Nathan was with his upcoming contract year, which caused them all to pause and remember Nathan's contract year a few years back and all the drama that ensued.

"So Peyt, when is your knight in shining armour coming back?" Mia asked.

"Haha – your guess is as good as mine" Peyton laughed.

"He's supposed to be back in a couple of weeks, but with the way Tony has been acting lately, you never know. He might be working on this tour when our kid is 18!"

"Going that good hey?" Millie asked

"Yeah, it's going really good. So good I feel bad for missing him so much. Especially for little things, like I have my next scan next week, and Luke won't be able to make it as he'll still be on tour." Peyton mused.

"But that's enough about me. I want to know more about this secret guy that Brooke has been meeting for lots of coffee and lunches..." Peyton led.

All girls turned their heads to Brooke, being the first they had heard of this guy

"Brooke! You've been holding out on us! C'mon spill! You are meeting a guy for lunches hey?" Haley probed.

Brooke rolled her eyes before answering them "It's nothing like that! He's a dad, who I met at the clinic when I went in for my scan. He's helping me out, and we're just hanging out and chatting about single parenthood. He's got a three year old kid so I guess he knows all about it."

"Just chatting eh?" Mia teased

"Yup – just chatting and getting handy hints. I mean I don't know what's more deterring to a guy than a pregnant single lady! All I can say is that I'm glad I had my fair share of men in high school as I certainly will be going through a dry spell for quite a few years now!" Brooke joked.

"So what happened to his wife then, if he's a single dad?" Peyton asked.

"I actually don't know. It's never come up" Brooke responded. It wasn't until then that she wondered why she never had asked him about his wife…

'So you think it will head anywhere?" Millie asked suggestively

"No, I don't see how. I mean I feel guilty just talking to the guy. Like I'm cheating on Julian or something. Which is stupid seeing as he's the one that left me, and yet I'm the one that feels guilty about talking to another guy"

All of a sudden the laughter and teasing all went out of the room. The girls then realised again, how much Julian's leaving had affected Brooke. Happy, confident, optimistic Brooke, who never seemed to have much luck with men. It just seemed so unfair that she seemed to collect all the bad luck there was to be had.

Lucas wondered through the bookstore trying to find something to read. There was nothing worse than going through a bookstore with nothing much in mind because either nothing would jump out at you, and you will walk out thinking that nobody is writing anything decent these days, or every second book will jump out at you and you are back where you started having no idea what you actually want to read.

It seemed like it would be one of those days where Lucas wasn't going to be able to find anything that tickled his fancy. He walked through the rows picking up books and then placing them down again. He didn't even realise what section he was in until he came across his own works. It still gave him a thrill to see his writing on a shelf, in an actual bookshelf. I mean do people actually pay to read his books? It still seemed so surreal to him.

The book tour was going fantastically. Even Lucas could see how successful it was. Not just for his latest book, but for Ravens and The Comet also. There was talk about going international as Tony felt it really was time to tackle the big fish. Although Lucas was adamant that this was not to take place until after Peyton had their baby. He really missed being home. Missed Peyton and Sawyer, as well as all of their Tree Hill friends. But more than anything, Lucas was sorry that he was missing so much of Peyton's pregnancy. He felt as though he had hardly been there at all for her.

Lucas finally stumbled upon a book that he wanted to read. "The Book Theif" had received rave reviews and sounded like something he would enjoy. Quickly he headed to the checkout. He only had a few more minutes to spare before he had to meet with Tony for yet another press meet. As he was lining up to pay, he felt the eyes of someone staring at him. Confused, he turned around to see a young girl looking at him in awe.

"Lucas Scott?"

"Yeah?"

"Oh My God! I'm such a fan! I just love your books! Ravens is my favourite! So is the book really true? All of it?

"Uh… yeah… most of it.." Lucas stammered. It still shocked him when he had a fan rush up to him like that. He having fans? Surely they have the wrong Scott brother.

"So is it really true that you broke up with Peyton"

"Uhh… well sort of… we broke up for a few years, but we're married now" Lucas answered, wondering if he had written in any of his books that he had broken up with Peyton, and how did this girl know that they did?

All he got in response was a squeal from the girl and jumping up and down. "Oh I knew you were made for each other. Oh how romantic, to marry your high school sweetheart! It just makes my heart melt!"

The girl continued to chatter, much to Lucas' amusement. If anything it made the line move faster and before he knew it he was headed to the door.

"Uh… well… ah… I've got to go now…" Lucas stammered. This girls enthusiasm made him nervous.

"Oh right… sure=! Look can you do me a favour and please sign this for me. My friends will never believe that I actually met you!"

Lucas obliged and left the bookstore smiling. He wondered if he would ever actually get used to this or whether it would always just seem like a dream.

"So we are making quite a habit of these Wednesday afternoon meets"

"Yeah I guess we are." Brooke responded. She was having lunch again with her newest friend. She loved his company, and while her friends were there for her through thick and thin, Ben just seemed to understand that little better.

"So Ben, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Oh wow – this sounds serious. Uh… I guess so… although I'm a little nervous about what you are going to ask now…"

"Where's your wife? What happened? Did you separate?"

It took a while before he responded. Once again, Brooke saw the faint shadow that came over his eyes.

"She died. Shortly after having Preston. Which is how he got his name. It was her maiden name. So it seemed to fit."

Brooke was crestfallen. It didn't seem like something that would happen in this day and age, to have a woman die after giving birth to a child. Isn't that what hospitals were there for now?

"Oh I'm so sorry! I can't imagine what you would be going through. I couldn't survive if something like that happened to one of my friends."

"Well I don't know if you survive so much as just try to get by bit by bit each day. It's been almost three years now, so it's getting a little easier, but she was the love of my life you know?"

"Yeah, I know" Brooke responded softly. Well she understood that part!

"Do you mind my asking what happened?"

"Placenta Praevia, or PP. We knew she had it from early on in the pregnancy, but we were assured that technology was well enough now that death was a fairly small percentage of cases. We tried to do everything right, but in the end, she went into labor and just lost too much blood. Despite having a caesarean and all. The hardest thing of all is that the doctors just kept telling me she would be fine. PP while dangerous was not life threatening. That she would come out of it. I guess we just weren't one of the lucky ones"

"Oh… I'm so sorry… that's just awful Ben" Brooke said. Inside Brooke was feeling sick. This was just a little too close to home. All Brooke could think of was that 'this could have been Peyton'.

"Yeah. I guess the hardest thing for me is that Preston won't know his mum at all, or know how much she loved him. But anyway, enough of this depressing stuff. Let's talk about something a little more cheery!"

Peyton waltzed into the Red Bedroom studio with a big grin on her face. Immediately, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her expectantly.

"So boys – do you, or do you not have the most amazing record deal with us here at Red Bedroom?" Peyton asked

"This sounds like a trick question…" Steve said

"Yeah…. I mean we could say no but…" Pete responded.

"I have only got you to go on tour none other than Necessary Evil as their pre show concert!"

Peyton was met with a stunned silence from the boys. It took them a few seconds before they could respond.

"You don't really mean that do you?" Steve asked awe struck.

"Yeah – I mean they are only the biggest up and coming band this side of the globe"

"Oh but there's more!" Peyton grinned at them. "As you guys probably know, the best way to get your music heard these days is to be asked to be on a TV show. What better show to be asked to be a part of than Glee which is all about music! You've been invited to make an appearance on the show playing your own music for one episode."

"Ok – can I just say here and now… You seriously are the best record label ever!" Pete exclaimed before all four boys erupted into whoops and cheers that engulfed the studio.

"So Miss Sawyer, your Mama has to go to the doctors this afternoon. Do you want to come with me or hang out with your Aunt Brooke or Aunt Haley?"

Sawyer sat back as though to contemplate her options. She knew that her Mum was going to the doctors to meet the baby in her belly again. The whole concept had her rather confused. Sawyer however, decided that a day with Jaime and Amelia would be much better and informed her mother.

"Ok, well Aunt Haley will take you home from the studio ok?"

"Yup! Mummy, when well the baby be coming home for good?" Sawyer asked.

"Not for a little while yet sweetie. Gotta wait till Dad comes home"

"So once daddy comes home the baby will come?"

"Noo… it won't be for a little while after that either.

"How long is a little while?"

"Shorter than a long while, miss! Now before you ask more questions, how about you go pack the things you need to take with you to your Aunt Haley's place!"

And with that, Sawyer bolted off to her room to see which toys would be making the trip with her.

Peyton lay in the bed in the doctors room, waiting for Dr Williamson to return. This was the first time that she had come to an appointment without Lucas, and it felt empty without him. Maybe she should have brought Sawyer along with her after all just to help fill that void in the room.

"So Lucas couldn't make it today?" Dr Williamson asked as he re-entered the room.

"No – he's still travelling promoting his new novel"

"Yes, I hear that's going very well. Although I must say, I'm surprised his publisher was able to drag him away from you!"

Peyton smiled in response. Didn't she know it! Only a week to go and she certainly was counting down the days. If Tony changed the dates again on her, she would have his head on a platter Peyton mused to herself.

"Oh – I just realised I left the DVD in the other room. I'll be back in a second. Just make yourself comfortable Peyton" Dr Williamson said again.

Closing her eyes, Peyton leaned back in the bed and waited once more. A few minutes later she heard the door open again and the footsteps of Dr Williamson re-entering the room.

"So how far along are you now?" he asked as he re- entered the room.

"20 week scan today" Peyton responded. There was a hint of familiarity in his voice. She must be going mad, as the voice sounded more like Lucas' than Dr Williamsons. A few seconds later she felt a gentle kiss on her lips causing Peyton to open her eyes in shock.

"Lucas! When did you… how did you…. Why didn't you tell me you were back?"

"Just flew in half an hour ago. You don't think I'd miss this for the world do you?"

"I just… you weren't coming back till next week!" Peyton said hugging Lucas enthusiastically

"I sweet talked Tony into letting me skip the last two towns. Book is doing so well I think he was quite happy to give me a little bit of leeway"

Smiling and laughing, Peyton kissed her husband once more. "Did I ever tell you that I love that Tony of yours!"

"See – what did I say. Can't separate the two of you for very long can we" Dr Williamson chuckled.

Both Peyton and Lucas smiled at him laughing.

"What's say we get this show on the road then?"