Title: Defining Happiness on Our Own Terms

Summary: A look into the future. Haley&Nathan want another addition to their family & Peyton&Lucas have just begun expanding there's.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own One Tree Hill.

Author: Maygen Lauren

Chapter One: Always Where I Need To Be

Haley fell into rhythm as she took her sons clothes out of the dryer and placed them into his laundry basket. She held up one of his red polo shirts and admired it close up. So tiny, yet so much bigger than his clothes had been just a year ago. She doubted that it would even fit Jamie's body today. When he would lean forward, up to his midback would be exposed, and standing straight, you could would see right through to his tiny tummy. She threw the shirt aside, crossing her arms, and fell back against the door with a huff.

"What's wrong Haley?" Nathan made his first appearance of that Saturday morning dressed in nothing but his infamous gray sweatpants.

"Jamie's shirt" She declared irritably, giving a small gesture to where it had been discarded on the floor.

"What about it?" Haley hadn't expected Nathan to understand, but anger boiled under her skin and a familiar red color appeared on her tan cheeks.

"What about it? It's too small. He gets new clothes every week. I'm tired of shopping for that boy. All he does is grow and"

He held up his hand. "Geez Hales, relax. It's not a big deal. We can take him shopping for some new shirts."

"It is a big deal Nathan, I just bought him that shirt and he's going to need pants too."

"Then we'll buy him pants too, don't sweat it babe, the kid is growing."

"A little too fast if you ask me."

The light bulb lit in Nathan's head and he took a step out of the bathroom. "You finish up that laundry and I'll make some breakfast if you'd like some."

She pressed her back harder into the sliding door which separated the washer and dryer from the actual bathroom. "Yes…please." She quickly added, and turned her back on him before he'd even left.

Nathan shook his head with a slight smile, and moved down the hall into the large kitchen. A certain blonde haired boy was sitting at the island, crayons in hand, finishing yet another master piece. "One more picture Jamie and I'm shipping you off to Aunt Peyton's."

"No I wanna stay here." He protested looking up at his father.

"And why is that?"

"Because here I'm the best, but with Aunt Peyton, I've got some competition." He looked back down at his paper as if he hadn't just said some incredibly witty comment. Nathan rolled his eyes and crossed over to the refrigerator.

"I'm making chocolate chip pancakes; how many do you want?" He reached in and took out the tub of shake and pour pancake mix from Thursday night.

"My favorite!" He beamed.

"And your mom's" He placed the mix on the counter next to the stove and turned the burner on high. "So how many big guy?"

Jamie didn't skip a beat. "8!"

"Oh yeah, and where are you planning on keeping all 8 pancakes, in your sock drawer, like you hide all your stolen candy wrappers?"

Jamie blushed. "No Daddy, I'm six and three quarters now, I can eat 8 pancakes."

Nathan placed a buttered pan on the burner. "Well, if you're sure"

"I Am." He jumped down off the stool and ran to his father's side. "Where's Momma? I wanna show her my picture."

"Don't I get to see too?" He said trying to pear over the top of the paper.

"No, it's not finished!" He exclaimed. "Momma has to help me with spelling."

"I can do that."

"You can spell to save your life Momma says. Now where is she?"

"She's doing laundry," Jamie left the room with speed, leaving Nathan with his arms crossed.

The boy knocked quickly on the bathroom door before entering. "Momma, can you tell me how to spell family?" He held out the picture in front of him. "I need it for my drawing and I already told daddy he couldn't help so it has to be you." He glanced around the room and couldn't seem to locate his mother. "Momma."

"Yeah buddy, I'm right here." A loud rumble abrupt from the dryer as it started and Haley stepped out from behind the sliding doors. Jamie looked up at her face. She was pale and her eyes were red. If he wasn't mistaken, she had been crying.

"Are you sad Momma?"

She pulled Jamie to her side. "No Jamie, I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"Jamie." She snapped. "I said I'm fine!"

"Yeah, then why are your eyes all red. You were crying!"

"I was not crying Jamie."

"Don't lie!" He yelled loudly. "You told me lying is bad. So if you're going to lie, then I will too!"

"I don't think so James Lucas Scott. You do not speak to me that way, do you understand."

He crossed his little arms and stomped into the kitchen. "Don't get angry! Geez I was just saying!"

"Excuse me little man, don't talk like that to your mother." Nathan said swooping his son up in his arms and then moving back in front of the stove.

"Well she was yelling at me!" He defended.

"Jamie" Haley took a step toward her son.

"No, you're mean." Jamie wiggled out of his father's arms and ran out the back door and onto the deck.

Haley sighed and slumped into a chair at the kitchen table. "What did you say to him Hales?"

She let her head roll around in her hands. "I snapped at him. I didn't mean to, I was just aggravated and I took it out on him."

Nathan flipped a third pancake onto a white serving plate and back away from the stove to stand in front of his wife. "Take over for me for a second, will you?" He leaned done and placed a kiss on her hair. He squeezed her leg and followed Jamie outside to the backyard. He wasn't hard to spot. He lay on his back in the grass, staring out at the sky. His picture was crumpled in his right hand, tears dripped down the side of his face and a sob escaped his lips. Nathan walked over and lay down in the grass next to him.

"What's this? Jamie Scott doesn't cry!" Nathan nudged his son's side.

"He does today."

"Aw Jamie, you're mom didn't mean it. She's having a tough day."

"I know, she was crying! But she didn't have to yell at me."

Nathan rustled his son's blonde hair. "She knows she shouldn't have snapped at you when you didn't disserve it, but I'm telling you, she's having a really sad day, and you didn't make her feel any better by yelling back at her."

"Yeah, I probably made her sadder, huh?"

"I think you should go inside and give her a big hug." Jamie stood up from the grass.

"Will you come with me?" He asked holding out his hand. Nathan got to his feet and picked Jamie up into the air, throwing him on his back and carrying him into the house. When they got in the kitchen, the table was set with two empty plates and another stacked high with pancakes. "Where's Momma?"

"Probably upstairs;" Nathan moved about the room, looking into the hallways "Tell you what; how about you go get the tray from the dining room table and we can bring breakfast to your mom upstairs?" Jamie sped off into the next room, returning with a brown serving tray. Nathan transferred the items from the table onto the tray and let Jamie take the lead up the stairs.

"What if she's still mad and doesn't want to see me." The boy whispered outside of the closed bedroom door.

"Hey kiddo, it's your mom; she always wants to see you. I promise she's not mad." Nathan balanced the tray against his side and knocked on the door with his elbow. Jamie reached up and pulled the handle, entering the dark room. Nathan flicked the light on and saw Haley sprawled out in the center of their king sized bed.

"Is she asleep" Jamie asked moving toward the edge of the bed. He jumped up onto the mattress and crawled next to his mother, snuggling up to her side. "Momma" He spoke into her ear. "I'm sorry I made you have a bad day."

Haley's arm snagged her son and she buried her face into his arm. "You didn't do anything wrong Jamie. I'm so sorry I got angry at you."

"Daddy said you didn't mean it." He let Haley kiss his forehead and tighten her hold on him. Nathan put the tray down on the bedside table and joined his family. His arms wove around his wife and planted themselves on Jamie's back.

"I didn't mean it. I've just been thinking about something's lately."

He sighed and wiggled out of his father's arms. "Can Uncle Lucas still take me to play ball?"

She nodded at him. "Of course he can Jimmy Jam. Uncle Luke would be so angry if he didn't get to spend time with you today."

"Yeah, he's been looking forward to this for weeks." Nathan said rubbing Jamie's hair.

"Good, because Uncle Lucas and I have so much fun." Jamie stood up on the bed and waddled over towards the tray. "Dad, I'm hungry."

Nathan rolled his eyes and slide off the bed, removing his arms from his wife. Haley turned onto her back and leaned up against the headboard. "Oh breakfast in bed, my favorite."

Jamie held his hand out for his plate, which his father was piling on with pancakes. Nathan leaned over towards his son. "Sit" Jamie did so. "Now you better be extra careful, I don't want to wake up in the morning with syrup in my hair."

The blonde boy giggled and took his plate to begin eating. Nathan handed Haley her own plate and sat up on the bed next to her. "Where's yours?" She asked shoveling a piece of pancake down her throat.

"What, you were going to eat all that?" He asked astonished. Haley looked down at her plate, only then coming to the realization of how hungry she really was.

"Well yeah…" She took another bite, and moved her plate over protectively.

"I thought I'd put enough on there for both of us, but if you're sure." He leaned over to fill another plate. When he sat back next to his wife, he saw the deep blush covering her cheeks."What is that?" He asked her. She looked up at him with concern. Jamie looked over for a moment, and then back down to his own plate.

"What is what?"

Nathan smoothed his thumb over her cheek. "That blush Hales, you match the curtains."

"Hey, you did just call me a pig." She pointed at him with a fork stuck with pancake bits.

"I did NOT use the word pig, nor did I say anything similar to that. All I said was I thought there was enough to share."

"But there wasn't."

"So, you're hungry, I get it." Her eye brows creased in response as she continued to eat her breakfast.

The family sat in silence for a time, enjoying each other's company. Jamie was the first to finish; he carried the two empty plates down stairs to the kitchen and then retreated to his room to dress for his day out with Uncle Lucas.

Nathan lay his empty dish on the floor and then placed his hands on either side of Haley's waist. "Now that I've finally gotten you alone, what is going on in that head of yours?"

Haley frowned at him and moved herself deeper into the mattress. "What are you talking about?"

"Well first off, this morning," Her frown grew and she opened her mouth to protest. Nathan shook his head and continued. "You freaked out because Jamie's clothes are too small and I'm thinking this scared you a bit because our little boy isn't so little anymore."

"That had nothing to do with it"

"And then, Jamie found you crying, and you may have over reacted, just a little." She didn't argue with this. "Hales I think," He rubbed his face before looking back down at her. "I think you might be pregnant."

"Ya think!?" She dripped with sarcasm.

"You are?" Nathan said, his breath catching in his throat.

She sighed. "I don't know Nathan, I'm not late or anything but, I feel…different. It's just PMS."

"Well, if you are….or want to be." He gave her a curious toothless smile. "I wouldn't mind. I'd actually love it."

Her eyes enlarged. "Really now? I thought you'd be angry."

"And why would I be angry? Hell if our second kid ends up half as perfect as kid one, I might push you for round three." Haley rolled her eyes.

"Yeah well, kid one is getting pretty old if you ask me."

He shifted an eyebrow up. "I knew I was right…" A hand fell onto her stomach and her cheeks shaded for the thousandth time that day. She shivered and Nathan moved his hand up to cup the back of her head. He lowered himself down onto her body carefully, locking his eyes on hers.

"I miss having a baby around the house Nate. When I was holding Elle at the hospital, I knew how much I missed it. Something just dawned on me and watching Jamie hold Elle, I almost lost it. Peyton did too. I know she trusts Jamie, but I could tell she was uncomfortable having a six year cradling her newborn daughter."

"Wanna hear something?" She nodded slowly. "I felt the same exact way. I watched you holding the baby and knew that more than anything, you wished it was ours. I did too."

"My my Nathan Scott, this is deep even for you."

"I know, I had a feeling something was up, and I owed it to you to hold a good conversation." She rolled her eyes at him. "So what does this mean Hales? Are we trying to get you pregnant?"

Again, her eyes rolled around her head. She placed each of her hands on the sides of Nathan's face. "Well, continue trying…" His eye brows lowered in confusion. "I stopped birth control the day after Elle was born."

His eyes widened. "And I thought you were just really horny. Uh, I was just being used. I'm a tool."

"Hey, you kept up quite nicely." He smirked. "Better now that I rubbed your bruised ego?"

He lowered his head down to capture Haley's lush lips. "Ew, you guys are gross." Said Jamie bouncing up on to the bed.

Nathan moved off from on top of Haley and snagged him around the waist. "You want a kiss too huh?" Haley kissed his face repetitively, tickling his sides as she went.

"Momma Stop!" He whined, giggling loudly. Haley stopped at his son's protests and kept him held fast in her arms.

"Did you wash your face?"

"Yes" He sighed, quite used to the morning check lists.

"Your teeth?"

"Uh, last night I did…" Nathan rubbed his son's hair.

"Hop to it little man." As Jamie's feet hit the floor, a bell rang through the house.

"Too late!" He screamed and then darted for the front door. Haley quickly threw her hair up into a messy bun and then followed her son yells, with Nathan in tow. Jamie pulled open the front door with a smile on his face. "UNCLE LUCAS!" He beamed and allowed himself to be lifted into the air.

"Hey Hey Hey" Haley said coming down the stairs. "You are not leaving this house until your teeth are brushed mister boy."

"No, but we have to go now, don't we Uncle Lucas?"

"I don't think so Jamie; you listen to your mother." Nathan demanded, moving to stand next to his wife. "Hey man" He nodded at Luke.

"It's two against two; that means war!" Jamie shouted.

Luke set Jamie on the floor. "Three against one little man; go brush your teeth."

"Aw!" Jamie stomped his way up the stairs.

"60 seconds!" Haley shouted up at him. She turned and eloped her best friend in a quick hug, giving him a toothy smile. "How's my God child?"

"Sleeping a full five hours through the night and I let Peyton stay sleeping so she'll be thrilled."

"And you don't mind taking Jamie for the day, I know you offered, but it just seems a bit soon for him to be spending the night."

"Naw man, as much as I hate to use your son for labor, he could be a big help and Peyton's fine with me disappearing to shoot hoops for an hour, so long as she can shower when we get back."

"Thanks for this Luke, Jamie's been dying to see you."

"I really miss the kid. I'm being outnumbered at my own house and I'm telling you Elizabeth can't even speak yet and she's got me wrapped around her tiny fingers. One unhappy groan, and I'm by her side."

Jamie came speeding back down the stairs. "Let's go go go" He grabbed his Uncle's hand and forced him back out of the house.

"We'll see you guys later" Nathan said with a quick wave. Haley noticed the picture from before sticking out of his jacket pocket.

"Hey Jimmy Jam" She shouted. He turned to look at her. "Family." She stated. "F-A-M---I-L-Y, remember that." He nodded with a smile and then turned back to run to Uncle Lucas' car.

-Her hand was moving against the empty mattress sheets, searching for her husband, who clearly was no longer there. Instead her hand found a sheet of paper addressed to her.

Peyton

I'm at Nathan's, picking up Jamie. Be home soon. Elle slept until 6, and yes if you do the math right, that's five hours. I fed her the milk from the fridge around 6:30 and she fell back asleep around 8-8:30. I left the house around 9.

Love you, Lucas

She threw the paper back onto the empty space beside her and yawned into her arm as she turned her head towards the clock. 9:30

Eight and a half hours! A smile sprung to her lips. Eight and a half hours! A quick laugh escaped past her tongue. This was the most sleep she'd gotten in two weeks, since the birth of her daughter. At the thought, her eyes flickered over toward the bassinet at the end of the bed. Very quietly, she got out from under the covers and crawled to the crib. She peered over the top of the bars quietly, lying on her stomach, and watched her baby girl sleep.

Elizabeth (Elle) Ana Scott

5 pounds 6 Ounces

16inches

Blonde hair to match her mother's and a dark blue gray to match her father's eyes. A living angel, with astounding beauty. She took her mother's breath away every time her little chest beat up and down. Her hair, so short, it came just to the brim of her forehead, and ears so tiny, every one whispered when around her.

"My daughter" Peyton whispered, her smile grew more, if possible. She stopped herself before reaching out to touch the back of Elle's hand. She should let her sleep as long as possible.

Peyton turned on the baby monitor and grabbed the second one before leaving the bedroom. She wandered down the hall into the kitchen when she found a pot of already brewed coffee. "I love that man" She thought with clear distinction. She poured herself a cup and took a seat at the round table, pulling out her cell phone. Her finger's found the keys and soon she was listening to the dial tone.

"Good morning Aunty Peyton" The six year old spoke into the phone. "How is my cousin?"

"She's sleeping Jamie, but good, thanks for asking."

"That's good. I'm gonna give the phone back to Uncle Lucas. See you later."

"Goodbye Jamie" She waited a moment

"Hey Peyt, sleep well?"

Peyton stretched in her seat. "Oh, very well, thank you so much. I owe you everything."

"You owe me nothing. You deserved to sleep in. Speaking of sleeping in, how is our tired girl."

Peyton's heart expanded at the use of the word our, just like it did every time he said that. "Still conked out in the crib."

"Did you see how late she slept last night?"

"Five hours, I know, definitely mama's baby."

Lucas didn't argue. "Without a doubt."

She smiled. "And I really appreciate the coffee. You're just an everyday life saver."

"Just tending to my girl's needs." A cry broke out from the monitor sitting next to her on the table.

"Speaking of your girl's needs…I've gotta go feed your daughter. See you when you get home."

"Okay, I love you Peyton."

"Love you too, bye." She smiled once again before shutting her phone and picking up her coffee mug to move back down the hall. She placed the cup on dresser and used her elbows to brace herself as she leaned over Elle's crib. Peyton's eyes met her child's and she lifted the baby carefully into her arms.

"How's my baby girl?" Peyton whispered into the infant's hair. Elle was cradled gently in her mother's arms, a hand supporting the back of her neck and head. "You're beautiful you know that?"

Peyton lay in the hospital bed, holding her new born daughter. Only an hour ago had she experienced the miracle of childbirth and been blessed with Elizabeth Scott. Lucas sat up in the bed with her, his strong arms supporting her waist. "Luke" She moaned.

"Yeah babe" He pressed his chin against the top of her head.

"It hurts, so bad"

He sighed and rubbed his temple. "I know baby, you're going to be sore for a while, but you just passed a watermelon through a Pringles can."

"So much worse than the mental image I had to live with, thank you" She rested her head against his shoulder.

"Have I told you how proud of you I am?"A blush spread across her very pale cheeks.

"Lately, more and more frequently and it's getting kind of annoying if you ask me."

His dry lips molded against the side of her face and he whispered to her, "So guess what?"

She turned her eyes away from her beautiful baby and met her husband's face. "Wha?"

"I know what my next book is going to be about; I'm actually planning to start writing it as soon as I can."

Peyton carefully placed Elle into Lucas arms and then pressed back further in the mattress. "What's this new story going to be about Mr. Scott?"

"It's going to be about how I feel right now and everything I'm think right this very second."

"And how are you feeling?"

"Very much in love, and completely blissed out."

Her heart soared. If only he knew she felt the same way. Later, she could paint about it. "I love you too"

A knock came from the door and a young nurse walked in with a polite smile on her face. "As much as I hate to do this; Dr. Delia would like to take your daughter in for her final checks, before being sent home tomorrow morning."Lucas stood up and handed over Elizabeth to the nurse. "She'll be back with you in no time, a half an hour at the most."She exited the room quickly and Peyton put a hand to her mouth.

"That was hard" Luke said, taking back his previous spot the bed. Peyton curled into his side, resting her head on his chest. His arms wrapped around her hips.

"How do people just hand their kids off to strangers?"

"She was a nurse Peyt"

"I know, but, god, I want her back in here, so I can make sure she's breathing and feed her when she's hungry and change her and love her, and it's hard when we're separated by these damn walls."

Luke squeezed her gently before pulling away to lift a colored gift bag off the floor. "I kind of bought you something; it's nothing big, or glamorous, but you'll probably like it"

She smiled at the gift. "Aw Luke, you didn't have to get me anything, it's not my birthday!"

"I know, but I figured you could use this right about now."

Her hands found the pink tissue paper and she lifted a brand new sketch pad from the bag, along with a set of presharpened charcoal pencils. Her eyes, widened in surprised, locked on his. "Why did you get me this?"

He brushed the hair out of her face. "Because Peyton ExSawyer, I know you, and I know that more than anything, you want to draw our new baby, but before you do, there's one more thing."

Her shoulder's shrugged up and she peered into the bag, finding a black velvet box. "We'll Mr. Scott, we're already married, so this can't be you purposing. What is it?"She held up the box to his face. He took it in his hands, turning it towards her after opening the lid. It was a beautiful gold locket with PS engraved in the front and on the back the date was present. Peyton undid the tiny clasp and opened it, finding a picture of her and Elizabeth already set in the small frame.

She became speechless, as she fought back tears which were threatening to fall. "When did you have time to do this?"

"Well, you've been pretty preoccupied this last hour or so. I took the picture with my cell phone, sent it to Haley, who printed it out, placed it in the locket, put the black box in the gift bag, handed it to the nurse, who brought it here when she came into take our daughter."

"Wow Luke" She removed the chain from the box. "Put it on me please" She leaned forward so he could have better access to her neck. He clasped the chain together and left a kiss on an unclothed part of skin, right before the neck line of her La Rocca band T shirt. She looked down at the locket as a tear drop left her eye and landed on her chest. "I love it. I love her"

She didn't have to say it for Lucas to know what she meant. "I know, I can't believe how absolutely in love with her I am. I mean she's been in the there" He placed his hands on her stomach and rested his chin on her shoulder. "For months now we've been dreaming of this moment and bam she was out and I fell in love with her in a second."

A laugh escaped her lips as she listened to him explain how he was feeling. "You're such a sap. Are you going to be one of those dads who cry when their kid goes off to preschool?"

"Maybe."

"Don't worry Luke I won't tell anyone what a softy you are."

"Hey hey, I am not soft; my hormones are just out of wack and I'm feeling very emotional right now."

"Sap."

Authors Notice: So hello there readers, that was my first chapter to my new story, Defining Happiness on Our Own Terms. I really hope you enjoyed it, because I had a lot of fun writing it. Hm, you can expect the next chapter up later this evening, for those of you on the East Coast, or early tomorrow morning. My break from classes starts Wednesday, so my update time will be shorter than regular.

I apologize for the errors, if there are any. I did some rough editing, but honestly, didn't have patients to get a beta. I really wanted to see what you guys thought. The second chapter is close to being finished; but should I even bother to continue??

Musical influences 4 this particular fanfiction: 3oh!3- I Can't Do This Alone. I Want Something I Want- Grace Potter&Bethany Joy Galeotti. Friday I'm in Love- The Cure. Non Believer- La Rocca.

PLEASE REVIEW!