hey guys and girls thanks for the reviews heres the epilogue its kinda short but i couldn't think of anything else to write about

Chapter 23

14 years later

The group of friends and their children were gathered at the Scott mansion for the annual barbeque, something that had become tradition since the summer after James had been born. The sun shone but their were a few clouds in the sky making it perfect barbeque weather. The adults were sitting at the tables on the lawn while the teenagers were sitting near the pool a bit further away. The younger children were playing on the lawn near the adults so the parents could keep an eye on them.

Haley, who had gone into the house to put something away came out and stood on the porch overlooking the scene in front of her. Lucas and Nathan were taking charge of the grill while Jake and Skills handed the food out at the table nearby. Haley turned her attention to the teenagers. She watched her fourteen year old son James talking to Peter, Claire and Stephan. Stephan and his younger sister Lillian had been adopted by Nathan and Haley when their parents had been in a car crash and died three years ago. Nathan and Haley had immediately agreed to adopt the siblings when they found out the pair would have been put into the system as they had no other family and most likely would never be seen again.

Lillian was talking to Elizabeth Rachel Scott, Nathan and Haley's thirteen year old daughter, as well as Teresa Peyton Scott and Caroline Brooke Jagelski. Teresa was Lucas and Brooke's daughter and Caroline, Jake and Peyton's. Just as Brooke had predicted, the girls were the best of friends and did everything together. Elizabeth, Teresa and Caroline had been close from birth and when they had met Lillian in kindergarten, she had immediately became a permanent fixture in their group.

Haley turned her attention to the children on the lawn. Chase and Rachel's eleven year old adopted twins Simon and Sarah were playing with Lucas and Brooke's and Skills and Bevin's ten year old sons Duncan Matthew Scott and Benjamin Charles Taylor. Rachel and Chase had chosen to adopt when Rachel had found she was unable to conceive. They were glad they had the option of adoption and loved Simon and Sarah as if they were their own.

Also playing on the lawn were Lucas and Brooke's youngest son Justin Lee Scott and Jake and Peyton's daughter Jennifer Joy Jagelski. Both were eight years old and the best of friends. Brooke and Peyton secretly hoped the two friends would become more and get married when they were older. Brooke was almost certain it would happen.

Haley watched as the adults talked amongst themselves, keeping an eye on the younger children as they played. She looked at the teenagers. The four thirteen year old girls had their heads close together and every few minutes would burst out in laughter. The others were lounging by the pool talking and laughing. Everything was in perfect bliss, just the way it should be.

Suddenly Haley felt the oh-so-familiar arms snake their way around her waist. Nathan had abandoned his grilling duties when he noticed his wife standing alone, clearly in thought. From a distance he had been able to tell nothing was bothering her but he wanted to make sure. Kissing her on the cheek he asked, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine. I was just thinking about how great everything turned out."

"I didn't realise you'd get so thoughtful over a barbeque," Nathan joked.

"I was talking about our lives!"

Nathan kissed his wife "Yeah I know what you mean. We were both hurt so we agreed to marry someone that was a stranger but if you look at it, it was the perfect solution to our problems."

Haley nodded. Nathan was right.

"The perfect solution," Haley echoed, "I like how that sounds."

thank you so much to everyone for reading this story please review and let me know if you liked it or not