A.N HJS-NS-23- Okay here is the long awaited epilogue. It's been written for a while but we wanted to finish this story on the day we started it. I never expected to get over 500 reviews. All of them were so wonderful and always made our day. We want to thank everyone for reading it. I loved working with Steph and writing this story brought us so close together. I am so sad to see this story end but it's the right time. I hope you all like how we ended the story and please review the epilogue. So without further ado the ending.
3 years later:
"Did we miss it?" Asked Damian rushing to the maternity ward of Tree Hill hospital.
"Nope," Said Lucas with a smile putting his arm around his pregnant wife's shoulder. "Jake is still in there with Peyton. It's pretty long time until they have their baby boy!!"
"I guess," said Damien chuckling and sitting down. "Man I was driving to go to the stadium and I received a panicked call from Jake saying that Peyton is about to give birth. I rushed home, picked Glenda up from work and drove here as fast as I could." He lovingly said putting his hand on his wife's leg.
"Oh you can laugh now mister Charlotte Bobcat great player!!" Said Nathan with a laugh. "But we'll see how you react when you're about to be a dad." He said winking at Haley. "I already had the twins, but when Haley gave birth to James last month I was panicking too."
"Yeah…I saw that!" Said Damien laughing. "Well…I'll need to go and kiss my godson later by the way before to go back to Charlotte...We really miss you guys." He added seriously.
"We miss you too…" Said Haley sincerely resting her head on her husband's shoulder. "What we created during these four years at Duke its more then friendship. We're a family." She added sincerely.
"Yeah we are…. All of us," said Brooke rubbing her big belly. "An unusual, but loving and strong family," she added the eyes filling up with tears.
"No… don't cry…" Said Haley reaching for her sister.
"It's these freaking hormones!!" Said Brooke angrily." They're eating up my brain! And it's all your fault!" she added hitting Lucas.
"Hey…." He said rubbing his arm pouting. "Her hormones…." He added looking at Damien who was looking at the scene with laugher in his eyes.
"Hey don't hit my cousin!" Said Nathan pretending to be serious. "You were the one complaining that you weren't pregnant yet, when you found out about Haley and Peyton pregnancy right?" Asked Nathan trying to contain his laugher. "If I recall right you said these exact words "Damn it Scott! My sister is pregnant again and Peyton is too, why aren't your little swimmers not doing their jobs huh? I want a baby!" So why do you blame him? You wanted his little swimmers…" .He added raising an eyebrow.
"Whatever…". Said Brooke pouting and looking down.
"Aww…don't pout…" Said Glenda nicely. "He's just being the usual Nathan Scott," she added winking to Nathan.
"You both can laugh…but we're the ones who are going to laugh when you have a baby…" Said Brooke nodding.
"We'll tell you soon…" Said Damien looking at his wife lovingly.
"What?" Asked the four others with confusion.
"I'm pregnant…. Said Glenda blushing. "We'll have our own little baby in about 7 months".
"Yeah…I'm going to be a dad!" Said Damien with pride in his voice.
"Oh Damien…" Started Haley emotionally. She was so pleased that she introduced him to Glenda the day of Brooke's wedding. Since that day they were a couple and they learned how to love each other. "I'm so pleased for you guys!" She added standing up to hug the couple.
"Yeah West…" Said Nathan hugging them too. "Congratulation! You'll see it's the best feeling in the world to become a dad." He said seriously. "I don't regret a second of my basketball career." He said seriously. "It's my children and my wife who helped me deal with my HCM. I'm the happiest man on Earth and the happiest high school coach on Earth!"
"Damn you've gone soft Scott," Damien said shaking his head.
"Shut it West," Nathan glared at the other guy.
"And here I thought you two were actually being nice to each other. I guess you can't last more than 5 minutes without picking on each other can you?" Haley asked raising an eyebrow.
"Broody," Brooke asked looking at her husband nervously.
"What?" Lucas asked worriedly seeing the face his wife was giving him.
"Can you run to the store and get me some green grapes and chocolate syrup?" Brooke asked licking her lips in anticipation.
"Seriously? Right now?" Lucas whined not wanting to miss the birth of Jake and Peyton's son.
"Please!" Brooke begged jutting out her bottom lip and giving him the puppy dog eyes that never failed. "Your daughter is hungry," She added knowing that he wouldn't deprive her and their child anything they wanted.
"Peyton better not give birth before I get back," He warned before grudgingly getting up and leaving to get the items Brooke requested.
"You have him wrapped around your little finger don't you?" Haley asked with a chuckle as Brooke just grinned and shook her head before patting her belly.
---
"Damn it Jake I want this kid out of me," Peyton whined before another contraction hit and she screamed, squeezing Jake's hand tightly.
"Breathe baby," Jake said soothingly as Peyton gave him a murderous glare.
"Go get the doctor and see if this damn kid is ready to come out," Peyton ordered through gritted teeth.
Jake ran out of the room actually scared of his fiancée to go get a doctor.
A few minutes later a doctor came in with Jake looking nervously at Peyton. The doctor looked and saw that Peyton was fully dilated and ready to begin pushing.
"Ok Peyton are you ready to meet your son?" The doctor asked with a smile as Peyton returned a strained one. "Sure," she said through clenched teeth.
"Okay then let me go get some nurses and then you can start pushing," He said walking out and leaving the young couple together.
A couple of minutes later a doctor and team of nurses came in. "Okay now Peyton when your next contraction hits I want you to start pushing ok?" Doctor Riley asked.
"Okay," Peyton agreed.
Peyton started pushing when she felt the contraction hit gripping Jake's hand in pain.
"Breath hehewoowoo," Jake told her as she shot him a glare.
"Oww Peyt," Jake said moving his hand away from her when she loosened her grip.
"Don't you oww me you don't what the hell its like trying to have one of your big headed kids try and come out of you," She screamed at him.
"Keep pushing Peyton you almost have the head out." Doctor Riley encouraged.
"I can't do this it hurts!" Peyton said as tears of pain and frustration coursed down her cheeks.
"You can do it Peyt." Jake told her brushing a few strands of curls out of her face.
"Keep pushing Peyton," Doctor Riley told her. "Okay we have the head out," He told the couple as he suctioned the baby's face and Jake moved to look at the head before coming back and holding Peyton's hand.
"Okay we need a couple more big pushes and then the baby will be out," Doctor Riley told the young blonde.
Peyton pushed as hard as she could as gripped Jake's hand until it turned almost white as the baby finally came into the world. "You have a boy," Doctor Riley told the happy couple over the baby's crying. "Jake do you want to cut the umbilical cord?"
"Yea," Jake said in awe moving down and seeing his son for the first time and cutting the cord. The nurses swooped around the baby boy and started measuring the baby and making sure it was healthy.
The nurses wrapped a blue blanket around the baby boy and handed the bundle to the new mom.
"He's perfect," She whispered to Jake and gave him a dazzling smile before looking down at her new son.
"He is," Jake agreed before kissing Peyton's forehead.
"Go get everyone," Peyton said running a hand over her son's cheek adoringly.
"Welcome to the world Sawyer James Jagielski…We couldn't wait to meet you," said Peyton kissing their sons' forehead. She looked at Jake with tears in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered to him.
"Why?" Asked Jake with confusion, gently caressing Peyton's forehead. "You're the one to be thanked for giving me such a beautiful son." He added emotionally.
"Thank you for giving me your heart…thank you for giving me a beautiful daughter." She smiled looking back at their son. "Thank you for giving me a family." She added her voice shivering.
The nurse took back the baby from her, in order to bring him to the nursery.
Jake softly kissed Peyton's lips. "You need to rest sweetie. I'll be back in a few. Let me just announce to the others that our little treasure made his entrance into the world." He added with his eyes wet. He did his best to contain his tears, but he couldn't do it anymore. Seeing the love of his life giving him a son was really emotional. Peyton was really an angel that made him believe in love again. She treated Jenny as her daughter straight away and Jake could see that the love she had for his daughter was genuine.
Jake left the delivery room but didn't go to the waiting room straight away. He rested his back on the wall and took some deep breaths. He needed to calm down, slow his heart down.
He finally made it to the room and saw all his friends waiting impatiently. He smiled; they hadn't acknowledged his presence yet. He looked to them, every face…they were his family. Some of them were closer than others, but every single person sitting in this room had a piece of his heart. Nothing is stronger or more important then the family you choose, and even if some of them entered his life on a negative note, they all played an essential part of his happiness.
"So guys…ready to see a pure miracle?" Asked Jake with a wide smile on his face finally walking into the room.
They all jumped from their seats, Damien helped Brooke up because Lucas wasn't back yet.
"Group hug!" Squealed Brooke as they all gathered around Jake to hug him. The guys rolled their eyes in order to make the girls believe they found this practice lame, but the girls knew deep down that they appreciated it as much as they did.
"Wait…Lucas isn't back yet!" Said Brooke finally realizing that her husband wasn't there. "He is going to get mad…." she added pouting. "He really didn't want to miss it." She added with puppy eyes.
"Don't do those eyes big sis…" Said Haley with a laugh. "We can't put the baby back into Peyton in order to wait for Lucas to get here!" She added rubbing her sister's belly while they all burst into laugher.
"Plus my cousin should be happy you only wanted grapes and chocolate syrup!" Said Nathan seriously. "If I recall well Haley asked me to go find strawberries in the winter at 2am!" He said wrapping his arms possessively around Haley's waist. "Believe me Brooke…If Lucas gets upset I'll remind him of this story."
"Well…If I recall right you were pretty satisfied with your reward when you finally came back," said Haley with a wink to her husband putting her hands on top of his.
"Oh yeah…" He said with a wide grin. "It was worth it!" He added lost in his thoughts.
"Ummm...Eww!!" Said Jake looking at them. "Dude! She is like my sister!!" He added shivering with disgust. "Okay…Let's go so you can all meet your new nephew…Sawyer James Jagielski." He added to the little group leaving the room and walking to the nursery.
As soon as they were in front of the nursery Jake asked the nurse to see the Jagielski baby and they all expressed themselves with "aww" and "ohhhhh"
"Thank god he looks like his mother…. He doesn't have your eyebrows…" Said Nathan pretending to be serious, pretending to still look at sawyer when in fact he was looking at Jake from the corner of his eyes.
"Ahah very funny!" Said Jake punching Nathan's shoulder. "You suck Scott! "He added slightly hurt. But he finally laughed. "Well…you're right on that one!" He said looking at his son blissfully.
Lucas finally made his way back with a cup full of grapes and chocolate syrup.
"Damn it! I can't believe I missed it!" Said Lucas with disappointment handing the cup to Brooke.
"I'm sorry Honey…" Said Brooke sincerely staring at the cup with disdain.
"Hey…I get your cravings wifey…" He said with a slight shrug looking at the baby with a wide smile. I'll be a dad pretty soon too! He thought with excitement. "He's gorgeous man!" Said Lucas honestly padding Jake's shoulder. "Congratulations."
"I can't believe he is finally here! Jenny can't wait to meet her baby brother." He added with a wide smile.
"You want me to go to pick her up?" Asked Damien nicely taking his wife's hand. "She's at Karen's right?"
Jake nodded. "You would do that?" He asked with gratitude.
"Yeah no problem, but I'll get to kiss my godson, which is a bonus!" He added with a wide smile. "Wanna come with me or stay here?" He asked Glenda kissing her forehead.
"I'm coming with you." Said Glenda with a shy smile. "I love spending time with you," she added squeezing his hand.
''Not as much as I do…'' he said with a wink bending down ''…maybe we can stop somewhere on our way there…'' He whispered huskily to her ear making her blush strongly. ''Well guys… See you in a bit.'' He said smiling at Jakes' grateful look before wrapping a arm around his wife waist leaving the little group.
Lucas finally looked at Brooke who was still staring at her cup. ''Don't you want to eat them?'' He asked nicely. ''I drove all across town to find some.''
''I…I don't want them anymore.'' She said sadly with her puppy eyes. "I'm sorry Luke…I know I'm horrible," she added with tears in the eyes.
"Here we go again," whispered Nathan to Haley.
"Stop it…" She whispered back giggling.
"No Brooke that's okay!" Said Lucas nicely hugging his wife tightly. "Don't worry…I'll go catch the moon for you if I could." He said kissing her lips softly. "You're my wife! The love of my life and the mother of my future daughter!" he added caressing her belly lovingly.
"I love you so much!" Said Brooke burying her face in his chest while he started stroking her hair, silently chuckling to himself at his hormonal wife.
Peyton looked at Jake lovingly before speaking and breaking the emotional moment between Brooke and Lucas.
"Hey Brooke, do you want to hold your godson?" Peyton asked smiling when she saw the huge grin breakout on Brooke's face.
"My godson! I get another godson!" Brooke said trying to jump up and down excitedly as Lucas tried stopping her from doing so.
"Brooke be careful jumping with the baby," Lucas said worriedly as Brooke sent him an evil look.
"Are you saying I can't take care of our daughter?" Brooke asked accusingly as Lucas' eyes widened worriedly trying to think of a way to get out of the doghouse.
"Brooke, Sawyer wants his god mom to hold him," Jake said adverting her attention away from Lucas and back to the baby.
Quickly sticking out her tongue out at Lucas she reached to hold Sawyer.
"Hi baby aren't you so cute!" Brooke said looking down at the little boy in her arms. "Oh I just can't to have your little cousin, no I can't and I bet you two will be really good friends oh yes you will." Brooke cooed.
The gang all looked at each other strangely trying their best to put it lightly that Brooke was confused. "Hey sis, we're not related to Jake and Peyton…" Haley reminded her sister nicely. Biting her lips anxiously scared of her sisters' hormones since they seemed especially bad today.
"I know that," Brooke said with an attitude, while still rocking the baby in her arms. "But you know in college we basically became one another's family and I want our kids to all be each others family too." Brooke said emotionally as a tear ran down all the girls' faces at the truthful words.
"Aww Brooke," Peyton said reaching out for the brunette for a hug. Switching arms with Sawyer, Brooke leaned in and gave Peyton a hug.
"Who would've thought we'd all have these guys tied down with wives and kids before 25," Brooke said pointing at the guys who all looked down at the floor.
"Yea you know Hales I don't know how you got this one to settle down so fast," Peyton said pointing at Nathan who looked at her in mock shock.
"Easy, I have him wrapped around my little finger," Haley twirling her finger with a big grin on her face.
"Oh really?" Nathan asked walking towards her with a mischievous smirk on his face.
"Nathan no! We're in a hospital. Don't you dare," Haley scolded trying to hide behind Lucas, who moved out of the way, before Nathan grabbed Haley by the waist and started tickling her, making her squeal.
Brooke and Peyton laughed at Haley being attacked.
"Brooke can I have my son back please!" Peyton asked pleadingly after seeing Lucas' eyes twinkling in mischief.
"Fine!" Brooke huffed out grudgingly handing over the baby. "Sorry Sawyer your mommy is being mean!" Brooke pouted crossing her arms against her chest and glaring at the blonde.
As soon as Lucas saw the baby back in Peyton's arms he made his way to his wife. Finally seeing Lucas' eyes, Brooke's widened in fear and backed up in a corner.
"Broody no! You don't want to hurt your daughter do you?" Brooke questioned knowing her didn't want anything to happen to their child. Lucas stopped and pretended to ponder before a grin came on his face and he made his way to Brooke tickling her.
Peyton looked at her son and shook her head. "You're aunts and uncles are crazy!" She cooed as Jake came to stand by them. "See I taught your daddy a long time ago to be nice to mommy. Yes I did, oh yes I did," Peyton said as Jake gave her a look of incredulity.
"Sawyer you tell mommy just wait and daddy will get her!" Jake told his son stroking the infant's cheek lovingly before bending down and kissing Peyton softly on her lips. The two looked at Nathan and Haley and started laughing. Nathan had stopped tickling Haley and now the two were making out.
"What working on number 4 already?" Peyton asked trying to keep a straight face.
"Eww Peyt, how many times do I have to say this she's like my sister!" Jake scolded before shaking in disgust.
"What Naley's going at it again?" Brooke asked as Lucas' hands stilled on Brooke and the previous two that were making out broke apart.
"What I never get her since James was born." Nathan pouted moving behind Haley and slinging in arms around her waist as she smiled blissfully.
Lucas laughed at his cousin as Jake shook his head in disbelief.
"Just wait til your daughter is here and then we'll see whose laughing" Nathan told his cousin.
At this moment Damien walked into the room and cleared his throat to let them know he was there. Jenny and Glenda were walking behind her so the little girl couldn't see the three couples making out. They all quickly broke apart.
"Oh…. It seems like a fun game!" Said Damien cheekily. "I would love to play!"
"You already did," Said Nathan looking at Damien from the corner of his eyes. "Your pregnant wife can attest of that."
"Ehhh…Good point" Added Damien with a laugh. "Here Jenny bunny…"He added with a smile letting Jenny through the space.
"Thanks uncle Damien…" She said with a smile. As soon as she saw her baby brother her eyes lit up and her smile brightened.
Both Jake and Peyton smiled at their daughter reaction. She was blissfully happy to have a baby brother.
"Can I hold him mommy?" Asked Jenny walking to the bed. Jenny's adoption had been finalized 3 years ago; she was now legally Peyton's daughter.
"Oh course you can baby!" Said Peyton nicely helping Jenny hold the baby.
"Hey Sawyer…." Said Jenny looking at her baby brother while the others were gathering around the bed looking at her with emotion. I'm going to love you soooo much," added Jenny gently kissing her little brother forehead.
----
Lucas sat typing his fourth novel. He was so scared how everyone's reaction to the book would be since it was about his life and his friends. The first books were fictional, but this one was about his life, about his heart; it was the perfect moment to share it all.
"If it wouldn't have been two sisters coming together I wouldn't have the extended family I have now. Haley and Brooke may have been enemies at the beginning of our freshman year, but them having to co-exist in a dorm room brought the eight of us together and we became a family. We had our ups and downs like any family does, but without their sisterly ties, none of us would have these new lives that we have all been blessed with."
"Done!" Said Lucas closing his laptop and looking around the room. The bedroom he shared with his wife. They room they've been sharing for the last 13 years. The house he shared with the love of his life. A love that had never faded.
''Lucas!'' He heard Brooke shout from the living room. ''We're really going to be late now!'' .
''Dad? Are you done?'' Asked Savannah walking into the room with a smile. ''Mom is really starting to get upset!
''Yep sweetie…'' Said Lucas with a bright smile. ''Come here.'' He added pushing his chair in order for his daughter to sit on his lap. She had the same dark hair and fashion sense as her mother. She was a bubbly, bright, and smiley 10 year old girl and Lucas was thankful for such a blessing.
''So Jenny's graduating today?'' Asked Savannah with excitement. ''It's soooo cool!!''
''Yeah it is honey….Yeah it is…'' Said Lucas with a laugh. He could remember when he first met Jenny. She was a two year old baby and now she was a 18 year old, happy young woman about to leave for Duke. When Jake told him she was going to Duke that was the starting point of the book relating to his college years.
''But…'' Brooke walked in and couldn't help but smile seeing Lucas and Savannah's guilty look. She shook her head. ''Traitor! I sent you to get your dad and… You two are helpless…'' She said jokingly. ''Uncle Nate is here with Jamie…'' Said Brooke awaiting for her daughter's reaction. ''And Uncle Damien and Auntie Glenda will be there with Jordan any minute now!''
''Jamie is here?'' Asked Savannah jumping from her father lap. She loved her cousin very much. They were only 5 months apart and close as twins.
''Ok hubbie….We really need to get going.'' Said Brooke nicely taking Lucas' hands. ''I don't think Jeyton will like us to be late to their daughter's graduation.''
Lucas stood up and kissed his wife lovingly. ''I just can't believe that a new generation is ready to take over.'' Said Lucas with nostalgia. ''It was like yesterday when I walked into those dorms and saw their daughter for the first time and now,'' He shook his head. ''Jenny is going to take our spots and the twins are about to start high school…Geez can you believe they're going to be 14?''
---
"Jake did you get the ice yet?" Peyton asked turning around from getting food out of the fridge to look at her husband.
"Yea and I put it in the cooler." Jake told her before coming up behind her and resting his head on her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her waist. "Breathe," he whispered feeling the tension leave his wife.
"Mom, Aunt Brooke and Uncle Lucas are here with Uncle Nate and Aunt Haley," Sawyer yelled running into the kitchen before turning around and running out to play with his cousins.
"So what's it like having one of your kids graduate top of the class?" Brooke asked walking into the kitchen.
"I feel old," Peyton said rubbing a hand over her face. "But you know Haley's next and she has two kids graduating at once so I can't wait to see that party," Peyton said smiling evilly at Haley and Nathan.
"Oh yea I'm excited…" Haley sarcastically. "I can't believe our babies are growing up. It seems like just yesterday we all started hanging out." Haley said sadly.
"I'm so glad we all went to Duke," Brooke said looking pointedly at her sister, one of her best friends now. She couldn't believe the misunderstanding about everything and not having around Haley these last few years would've been hard while she tried to start up her fashion line.
"I wonder if we were all destined to meet each other?" Lucas asked looking around the group as they all smiled back as they thought about their first day of seeing each other.
"Nathan being a dumb ass, well I guess some things never change," Brooke said cheekily, remembering as Haley told her the story when Nathan walked into the room.
Flashback:
"Hey James you're finally here! I thought you lost your way or something. Bring your fine ass in here!" Nathan shouted.
Haley came out of the bathroom. "Excuse me?" She asked frowning. "Who do you think you are? I don't know you!" She added aggressively.
End flashback
Peyton blushed remembering how she was jealous when she saw Jake and Haley together.
Who would've thought that 17 years later they would be standing in mine and Jake's kitchen getting ready for Jenny's graduation party? Peyton thought. Life had defiantly thrown them curve balls, unexpected marriages and pregnancies, enemies turned to friends, getting jobs and just leaning on each other when they needed them the most. They knew that life would be hard, but as long as they had each other they would all be okay.
The End