"Every once in a while people step up. They rise above themselves, and sometimes they surprise you. Sometimes they fall short. Life is funny sometimes. It can push pretty hard. But if you look close enough, you can find hope in the words of children, in the cars of a song, and in the eyes of someone you love. And if you're lucky, and if you're the luckiest person on this entire planet, the person you love decides to love you back". – One Tree Hill

Lucas POV

There are some days in our past when we look back on them, hurt us. It's like getting kicked in the gut over and over again because you know what the outcome of that day has done to you. You can look back on it, point to the date on the calendar, and know that's when everything changed. Like today, on December 14th, sixteen years ago, my life was flipped upside down. But for the better, I might add. I became the person I was destined to be, I became a Dad.

So call me corny if I'm making my daughter a huge breakfast before she has to go to school in an hour. Say it's ridiculous to pretend that she's still that little girl who used to love to sit on the couch every morning and watch cartoons. Or who would get a cut on her arm and try to persuade me she needed to go to the hospital. She's still that little girl that loved me more than anything, but she's now just grown up.

I put her favorite chocolate chip pancakes on a breakfast tray with a glass of orange juice and head down the hallway towards her room. I'm not surprised to see she's still passed out on her bed or I'm hearing faint snoring. I sit the tray on the end of the bed and lift the covers off of her.

"Meg, wake up", I say and shake her body. She opens her eyes and looks at me and then rolls over so I can't see her face.

"Five more minutes", Megan says but it's so muffled I could barely hear her.

"If I give you five more minutes, your pancakes aren't going to be hot", I whisper and she turns over immediately. She sits up from her bed and yawns. "Happy birthday kid", I cheer and she smiles that smile that lights up a room.

"Thanks Daddy", she says and reaches over to hug me.

"You're welcome baby. I love you", I whisper and kiss her cheek. "Now eat up. Just because it's your birthday doesn't mean you are skipping school".

She sends me a glare when I let go of her but smiles. "Yes sir".

"Alright, well I have to leave early for a faculty meeting. You have a ride to school", I asked before I left her bedroom.

"Yeah Jamie's picking me up", she answers with a mouth full of pancakes.

"Okay. See you at the game tonight. Go Ravens", I cheer and she nods her head. I leave the room with a smile on my face. Moments like that with my daughter make me the happiest.

And the happy moments haven't happened often. Actually it's more of a rare experience it seems. Especially after everything we've been through these last couple of years.

I grab my wallet and car keys and walk outside to my car. I take the usual ten minute trip to Tree Hill high school but I'm interrupted when my cell phone goes off.

The blue tooth in my car says that Brooke is calling so I hesitantly answer.

"Hello", I say confidently.

"Lucas, is Megan with you", Brooke asks and I can tell by her voice she is irritated.

"No I already left, she's at home still", I answer truthfully.

"She won't answer my phone call today, all I want to do is wish her a happy birthday", Brooke says. I can't help but wince at how broken she sounds.

"Maybe she just hopped in the shower. She'll call you back when she's done", I add trying not to break her spirits. It's been three months since Megan and I went to visit Brooke in New York. And from what I've been told, Megan barely answers her phone calls, texts, or emails since. I try not to talk to Brooke that often anymore either, but that's for my own reasons. No matter how I feel towards Brooke, I know it's breaking her not talking to Megan all the time. It's breaking Meg to, she just doesn't see it.

"Yeah I guess. Well my flight leaves in a couple of hours. Does she know I'm coming to see her", Brooke asked.

"No, I kept it a secret like I promised. But I should warn you, she's going to be really pissed if you bring Julian this time. And if you want to talk to her, that's not going to help your situation", I say.

There are a lot of things that have happened in the last sixteen years. When Brooke got pregnant our senior year of high school, we got married and raised Megan. As Megan got older, Brooke got sadder. And when her dreams of a clothing line in New York became a reality, I let her go. Unfortunately I let our romance go as well, and we ended up divorcing when Megan was ten. As of the custody agreement goes, Megan lives with me full time in Tree Hill and visits Brooke in New York City every other holiday, or whenever Brooke comes home to visit. I'm still a successful novelist and coach the basketball team as Brooke runs her well-known Clothes Over Bros fashion line. Since we live here, Megan doesn't see Brooke. I don't really keep up with Brooke and her life anymore. It's too hard anyway. Especially since she is engaged to famous movie producer, Julian Baker and will be getting married in a couple months.

What we had was a really long time ago, and she let our love fade away. You can't hold on to something you weren't supposed to have in the first place.

"Julian can't make it anyway. I'm making a solo trip. But I have to go. I'll see you at the game", Brooke answers and hangs up.

In a couple of hours the family drama will begin, oh joy.

Megan POV

I see my iphone light up with the word, Mom, but I choose to let it go to voicemail. I know I should answer the phone call, but I can't. It's my sixteen birthday today, I don't want another birthday with just a phone call and a check sent in the mail. Everyone asks me why I barely talk to my mom anymore. But no one can clearly see how broken I am without my mom here. She has a completely different life that doesn't include me in New York where she's even starting a new family in a couple of weeks. And I live here, watching her choose the wrong life.

My life is normal and happy here in Tree Hill. I'm an honor roll student, varsity cheerleader, and work part time at Karen's Café. I have the greatest Dad in the world, my Uncle Nathan and Aunt Haley who are like my second parents, and my best friend slash cousin Jamie. It's hard to think that your own mother isn't a big part of my life anymore. I have to move on since she is and I don't want to turn out like her, even if I'm following in her footsteps.

I have my cheerleading uniform on with my long brown hair straightened. I may look exactly like Brooke Davis sixteen years ago, but I'm better than her. I have to be better than her. Tonight is the first Ravens basketball game of the season which is a bonus for it falling on my birthday. My family and some other friends are all gathering at Karen's Café to celebrate and I couldn't be more stoked.

The sound of a car beeping its horn pulls me out of my thoughts. I look out the window and see its Jamie in Uncle Nathan's range rover and start freaking out. I race out of the house, after locking the door, towards the car.

"Uncle Nathan let you take this to school", I scream and see my cousin nod his head.

"Yup, he told me even though I've had my license for a couple of months; he thinks I'm a pretty good driver. So cough up the cash since you lost the bet of if I would be allowed to drive the Range Rover", Jamie says and holds out his hand.

"You win this bet James. But you won't win the bet of letting you drive the corvette", I smirk and he laughs uncontrollably after I give him the five bucks out of my pocket.

"Whatever you say Cousin, oh and hey, happy birthday", Jamie adds. "I know you said no gifts this year", he starts to say.

"No one said anything about no gifts this year", I laugh and see him do the famous Scott grin.

"Like I said, I know you said no presents but I got you a little something", Jamie says and reaches in his pants, thankfully were stopped at a red light.

"You can thank my Dad", Jamie smirks and hands me a folded envelope. I look at him questioningly but open it. Inside there are two tickets to the Charlotte Bobcats game for Saturday night.

"Oh my gosh", I start screaming. I've been dying to go to a Bobcats game since the basketball season has started. Yes, since I am a Scott, I have a true love of basketball. It's not something I play, even though I know how too, but it's something I enjoy watching and sharing with my family.

"Thank you so much! I can't wait now", I cheer and Jamie smiles at me.

"Anything for you cus. You better be taking me though", Jamie adds and I can't help but laugh.

"Who else would I rather take to a Bobcats game", I questioned.

"True. I'm so excited", Jamie adds as we finally reach the school parking lot.

"Me too", I say cheerfully. We grab our book bags and start walking in.

"Happy Birthday Meg", my friend Amanda says walking up behind me.

"Thank you", I say back and she laces her arms with mine. Were both cheerleaders, both sophomores, and have known each other since pre-school. I wouldn't say she is my best friend because that position is held to my cousin. But she means a lot to me and I care about her.

"Ready for the game tonight Jamie", she asked and I can tell it's in a flirty way. She's had a crush on him forever, but of course Jamie can't see it. Even though I know he has had a crush on her since we were little.

"Of course", Jamie nods and looks confident. He should be, since he is the starting forward of the Ravens basketball team, just like his father. They say he's even better than Uncle Nathan, but Dad says not as good as him. I guess we won't ever know who is better since Dad stopped playing ever since Mom left, five years ago. It's hard since basketball is who my father is, well was.

"Lets head to class Jamie", I said and nodded towards our first class of the day which was English. "See you later Amanda", I wave to her and she smiles but waves back as well.

First period hasn't started yet as we walk into English to see Aunt Haley who is also our teacher. She makes me call her Mrs. Scott in class but other than that she is the mother figure in my life now.

"Hey Aunt Hales", I cheer and walk over to her.

"Hey Meg, happy birthday", She shouts and stands up to throw her arms around me. "My little niece is sixteen years old", she whispers in my ear and kisses my cheek. She releases her hold on me and stands back to get a good look at me.

"You and my son are getting to old. Wasn't it just yesterday we were celebrating your fourth birthday", Haley says.

"Very funny Ma", Jamie says and walks over to his seat in the front row.

"Well I for one am very excited for tonight. I even hear you may have a special visitor", Haley smiles and puts her hand threw my hair.

"Yeah Aunt Peyton texted me earlier this week and said she was coming to the game with Uncle Jake", I smile because I would love to see my god mother. In senior year, after mom found out she was pregnant, Aunt Peyton went and got engaged to Uncle Jake. They've been together ever since and pretty much Jenny became my cousin even though we aren't technically related. They live about an hour away but they always visit on weekends at family barbeques and basketball games.

"Wait I didn't know Peyton was coming. That's not who I met", Haley starts to say as the bell rings.

"Oh well I'll see you later", I shrug and head to my seat next to Jamie.

Brooke POV

Leaving Tree Hill was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. Especially leaving my daughter, who is the only thing in life that I got right. But I love my company and it's all that I have left, plus Julian. Even he and the company aren't enough anymore. Ironic enough after you say yes to someone to spend the rest of your life with them, you start questioning everything. Ever since Megan and Lucas visited three months ago, I can't help but think everything has changed.

It's four in the afternoon as my plane finally arrives in Tree Hill. I get my suitcase from the luggage claim and start walking out to hail a cab. I sigh wishing I didn't have to hail a cab and could have just asked Lucas to come pick me up. But he's barley talking to me as it is and I should be lucky that he's letting me come earlier to spend time with Megan. I'm the one who broke Lucas heart, and now my daughters too.

My phone starts ringing in my jean back pocket as soon as I flagged down a cab and got in. The caller id reads Julian as I smile to myself.

"Hey babe", I say cheerfully as I get situated in the car.

"Hey Brooke, how was the flight", Julian asked.

"It was fine. I just got a cab and I'm headed towards my hotel now", I say looking around the town as we drive towards it. I can't help but miss this little town that I grew up in. No matter where I live, no matter who I become, there is only one tree hill, and it will always be my home. I've missed it so much that I had to come back, not just to visit my daughter and ex-husband.

"That's great. I wish I could have come with you. I would have loved to see Megan again", Julian says. Funny thing is even though my fiancé is a really great guy, and actually cares about my family, Megan can't stand the facts that were getting married. To have the person that I created and love more than anything in the world not like the person I want to share my life with really hurts me. But she has her reasons, and that's what hurts the most.

"Yeah I would have too. But let me call you later tonight after I see Megan, and hopefully talk to her", I say wanting to get off the phone to get checked into my hotel room.

"Yeah sure, have a great time. I love you", Julian says sweetly.

"I love you too, goodbye", I say with a deep breath and hang up. I've been dating Julian for two years and have been engaged for about three months. I'm so busy with work that I haven't even started planning the wedding. I think Julian is starting to get nervous because we haven't even set a date and he thinks I'm going to change my mind. And lately, I'm starting to re-think everything. And that's not fair to him, but I don't want to lose Julian. Call me selfish, but he's the only person that truly loves me anymore. I need him.

I get into my hotel suite with no problem and start unpacking my suitcase. I change my outfit into a tight black dress and black stilettos. It might just be a Ravens basketball game, but after living in New York for so many years, I always look my best. And I have to look good tonight, especially for everyone that's going to be there. As I finish getting ready, I look at my reflection in the mirror. I smile softly to myself, knowing that the only thing I can look forward to is seeing Megan. I can't wait.