This takes place a year after the last episode. Nathan and Clay still own Fortitude, Skills is working as an agent for them. Haley and Brooke still co-own Karen's Café, but because Brooke works full-time with Baker Man the café is mainly Haley's. Baker Man is hugely successful. Quinn owns her own studio. Skills and Bevin are dating once again. Mouth and Millie are planning their up-coming wedding.

Summary: Riley O'Connor's grandmother, Nanny passed away and her social worker wanted her to stay close to her home in Charlotte. Brooke and Julian have recently become her foster parents.

I do not own One Tree Hill. If I did, there'd be about ten more seasons. Ha, well the only characters I own are Riley O'Connor, Austin Teague, Natalie Bennett and whoever else that didn't appear regularly.

Chapter 1

Riley Grace O'Connor swings her feet back and forth. She patiently waits for her social worker, Natalie Bennett to call her into her office. Every time she gets called in there it's mostly because she's in trouble or for a therapy session. Most of the time Riley is banished to the nine and ten year old dorms where she has to sit and think about what she's done, but when these days all she thinks about is her Grams. The way Grams used to laugh at everything and believed in taking the easy way out. Grams could make anyone laugh.

Her best friend, Austin Teague is sitting beside her. It's always the waiting that makes it worse; waiting to get in trouble, waiting to be sentenced. Austin's mother died when he was a baby and his father isn't responsible enough to take care of him. Austin slides up to catch a glimpse of just who is in Nat's office. He sees a young man and woman, maybe in their early thirties, but they look nice. Well as nice as anyone can look.

Riley chews on her lip, "Why do we gotta wait?" she asked nervously. It's not like they did anything bad, they only brought a snake into the classroom to show everyone how cool he is.

"Nat prolly wants us to crack under pressure and confess" Austin murmured causing Riley to raise an eyebrow at him. He needs to quit watching Law and Order and listening to cops. "Then she's gonna shout at us" he added thoughtfully.

"She's not gonna shout at us. Olivia dared us to bring Nate into the classrom, she dared us...we had to" Riley reminded; they've done a lot worse, like last week when they stole candy from the local market.

"The school called her, we're gonna get in trouble" Austin answered; Natalie has always been the only parental role in his life.

Riley closes her eyes wishing Grams was here. "Nate's our friend" she whispered feeling her voice crack.

Austin looks over at her; worried. "You okay?" he asked, these past couple months since Grams died, have been hard on Riley.

Riley plasters an angelic smile onto her face as she hears Natalie squeak open the door to her office. "Riley, come in here please" she ordered causing the nine year old to rise reluctantly.

"Hey, when I lived with my Pop" Austin looks around secretively. "He always used to tell me to deny, deny, deny" the nine year old murmured.

Riley squints wondering what she could possibly deny and goes into her social worker's office. "You know the Bakers right? Julian and Brooke" Natalie asked mentally warning the child to mind her manners.

"Yeah" Riley nods, she's seen them around; Mr. Baker teaches a seminar on film making and his wife teaches one on sewing. They don't come by often, but when they do everyone has a good time. "You guys sometimes teach here, right?" she asked with an easy smile.

Brooke smiles at the enchanting young girl. "Yes, I teach sewing. I think I've seen you in one of my seminars before" she replied kindly.

Riley sees Natalie's look. "Yes ma'am, it was lots of fun, but I kept pricking my finger" Julian studies his future foster child wondering how exactly she'll feel about this situation.

"That's one of the downfalls" Brooke winks at Riley playfully.

Riley grins back, her blue eyes twinkling. The nine year old hasn't smile around anyone, besides Austin since Grams. "Riley, Brooke and Julian would like to become your foster parents" Natalie explained causing Riley to bite down on her lower lip.

"Why?" Riley blurted. Natalie glances at her sharply. Riley looks down, it's not that she doesn't like the Bakers, she does. Everyone does, but why would they want her? There are a bunch of other kids who are probably better for them.

"Because we've been looking into fostering you for awhile" Brooke admitted wanting to have an honest relationship with their future foster child. "How would you feel about living with us?" this is a good opportunity.

Grams never wasted a good opportunity. Every time something good came her way, she grabbed it before anyone else could. When she was alive, Grams always found it annoying how Riley was so different from her. Grams always looked out for herself even when it came to matters involving her granddaughter whereas Riley took the fall for others.

Riley bites down on her lower lip feeling guilty for thinking ill of Grams. Julian looks at the nine year old, concerned. "Hey, Riley, are you okay?" he asked causing the child to blink.

She nods. "I'd like to live with you guys" she answered feeling heat burn in her cheeks from embarrassment.

"Great, this is great" Natalie cuts in clapping her hands. "I can take Riley up Tree Hill this weekend and get everything worked out by Monday" she offered causing Riley's eyes to widen.

"Thanks Natalie" Julian smiles warmly at her. "We couldn't have done this without you" he stated awkwardly patting Riley on the back.

"We should get going, the car ride is a killer" Brooke said over-dramatically. "Bye, Riley, this is...I promise it'll be okay" the brunette gently ruffles Riley's hair.

Julian and Brooke leave the office, smiling politely at Austin on their way out. The fourth grader glares pointedly at Natalie who does her best to look away from the child's steady gaze. "Did they say Tree Hill?" the nine year old demanded with her hands firmly placed on her hips.

"Yes, they did" Natalie looks ashamed. She really did try to have Riley stay in the area, but sometimes things don't always work out the way people want them to.

"This isn't fair! Tree Hill is like a million years away from Charlotte! You promised I could stay here…Charlotte's my home" Riley feels her entire world come tumbling down.

"I said I'd do my best to have you stay close to home. Riley, this is the best I could do and trust me the Bakers are good people. I wouldn't send you someplace you wouldn't like" the social worker raises an eyebrow at the youngster.

Austin's gonna be so angry. Lots of people have left him in his life, first his Mama, then his older brother, and last his Dad. "What about Austin? He's my best friend" she demanded as hot tears slide down her cheeks.

Natalie gets that the two have a close relationship, but this is a good opportunity. "You can visit him whenever they come here and he can visit you…sometimes" Natalie explained, she's been trying to contact Austin's father.

"What about my life?"

"This will give you the chance to start over, not many people get the opportunity to start from a completely new slate" Natalie offered hoping maybe; just maybe Riley will behave.

"Grams" Riley answered quietly. "We have to visit Grams before I go, please Nat."

"Of course, now start packing. Riley, I really did try to have you stay here, but sometimes things don't always work out in the way we hope" Natalie smiles gratefully; children like Riley are a rare breed of special. They're hopeful and full of grace.

Riley leaves feeling tears threaten to fall. Charlotte is her home, there's no other place like it; Grams and Mum grew up here. Maybe Brooke and Julian will let her visit. Austin's gonna be pissed. He and Riley have been best friends since kindergarten; they grew even closer when Grams died.

"We're getting a kid, a nine year old kid" Julian secretly always wanted to have a little girl, one he could take to father-daughter dances and spoil. Brooke is under the firm impression that Dave and Jude are going to be Mama Boys.

"That's the same age Peyton was when her mom died" Brooke answered automatically. "Do you think I'll be an okay mom?" her worry evident in her tone.

"You're an amazing mom, Brooke Davis" Julian takes her hand and strokes it.

"Riley's different. She isn't a baby; she's the same age as Jamie" the petite brunette leans against the head rest unsurely.

"Brooke, you're great with Jamie. He loves you" Julian kisses the top of her head. "Don't worry; you'll be great with Riley" he promised with an earnest smile.

"How do you know?"

"Because I'm Julian Baker and you're my sexy wife, Brooke Baker" Julian answered confidently, on the inside he's equally worried about Riley. What if she doesn't like them?