This is cheesy and probably stupidly unrealistic but y'all asked for it. So here's the epilogue of Blue Moon.

(Shoutout to the people who guessed it all along. . . and special thanks to othfangirl for encouraging me to write this.)

. . .

He'd never- not even in his wildest dreams- imagined he'd be spending his Friday night at a bowling alley; let alone actually enjoying it (especially considering he was pushing forty) but the smile on Nathan Scott's face said it all. He was happy.

But the happiness had little to do with the clamoring sound of bowling balls crashing into pins, or the smell of greasy foods mixed with the not so invigorating scent of the used shoes on his feet.

No, the reason for his unwavering smile was strictly because of who he was with. It didn't matter where they went, as long as he was with them, that was all that ever mattered.

"Did you see that, Daddy? I knocked all the pins down!"

Nathan stood from the bench and beamed at the pig-tailed seven-year-old.

"I sure did. That was awesome," he held his palm in the air, just high enough so the girl could slap it with her much smaller hand.

His eyes then strayed to the beautiful woman a mere few feet in front of him. He couldn't help but let out a low groan at the way her jeans molded perfectly to her shapely ass. The beaming smile slanted into a crooked smirk when he watched her struggle with the bowling ball. Somehow, she had the ability to make her klutzy-tendencies to look as beautiful and graceful as she was. After awkwardly throwing it down the alley, her excited squeals rang over the thundering sound of the ball when it made contact with a few of the pins.

Nathan couldn't help but clap with genuine joy. She was dancing like the bowling alley wasn't packed with a bunch of hormone-raging teenagers or screaming kids. His heart synchronized with the fast tempo of whatever trendy pop-song was playing from the speakers. She still had that effect on him, even after all these years.

"How about that? Did you see me, baby?" Her voice echoed the giddy tone of their daughter's and he chuckled. Within seconds, she danced right up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him as close as her five-month pregnant belly would allow; the bump was just starting to protrude enough to show she was expecting again. His palms immediately dropped to her swollen stomach and the couple shared a soft, tender kiss.

"I did. And I saw that cute little frolick thing you did, Hales. I have to say, the technique is sloppy, but it seems to be working for you," he winked at her playful pout.

"I'll have you know I am a very good bowler, Nathan Scott."

Nathan chuckled again, "the score would argue otherwise. A seven-year-old and a three-year-old are beating you."

"That's not fair, they have bumpers!" Haley was pouting again. Her lower lip folded over itself and its glossy shine under the disco lights begged Nathan for another kiss. He laughed softly before touching her lips to his. The sparks lit immediately but were dampened before the fire could even spread.

"Daddy, it's your turn," Nathan felt a soft tug on his jeans and turned. A pair of mirroring blue eyes stared expectantly up at him and he reached out to ruffle the boy's blonde hair. If Nathan were blonde, James Lucas Scott could have been his twin. The two were carbon copies of one another; right down to their infamous boyish smirks.

"Okay, bud. Let's show Mommy how to do it right."

"Hey!" Haley chided playfully.

Nathan chuckled and gave his son a high-five before picking up a ball and standing in front of the lane. He made a show of squaring his shoulders, smiling secretly at the sound of the laughter coming from behind him. He was never much for the sport, but if wearing smelly shoes and knocking down some pins were all it took to make his family happy, then he'd do it every damn night of his life.

When the pins were reset, Nathan cleared his throat loudly and bent down, winding his arm behind him and rolling the ball hard in front of him. He waited and watched with a baited breath, smirking proudly when the black and purple marble ball collided hard with the pins, knocking them all down in a single strike.

His kids and Haley cheered loudly over the music, drawing a few stares from across the room. Nathan pumped his fist in the air as Gracie and Jamie came bounding over to him.

"That was so cool, Dad!" Gracie squealed.

Jamie quickly agreed with his older sister, "Yeah, Daddy. You're the best!"

Nathan hugged them close to him, cocking an eyebrow in his wife's direction.

She rolled her eyes but the large smile contradicted any hint of hostility. "You're such a showoff, Nathan Scott."

"Just admit it. You love me, Haley James."

"You're right," a grin glided over her lips as she landed back in his arms. "I do love you."

He dropped a kiss on her forehead- she admitted recently how much she loved when he did that- and he felt a small, hard lump build in the back of his throat. It was moments like these, little and heartfelt, when he was reminded of how precious life really was.

He remembered the time before they were his; drunken nights in empty hotel rooms, a woman who he found it hard to smile around, and spending nearly every minute staring at the sky, looking for a blue moon, and checking the calendar, wishing for June 23rd.

He never thought he deserved this life. He still doesn't, deep down, but he no longer questions it. He's the luckiest man alive, that's for sure.

"What're you thinking about?" Haley whispered softly, detecting the far-away glazed look in her husband's eyes.

He gave her a soft smile and squeezed her gently against him, "everything it took to get here."

. . .

He was going to have a panic attack- either that or piss himself. Nathan was sure that in any second the fist around his heart would squeeze it until it burst completely. Even as a former athlete, his heart rate had never exceeded the pace to which it was currently beating.

It was ridiculous, really. She was a four-year-old. He was scared of meeting a four-year-old.

"Nathan," Haley said his name softly and it helped him breathe lighter. "There's nothing to be nervous about. She's going to love you," he felt her hand squeeze his and he tried to swallow the ever-growing pit in his stomach.

The words couldn't locate the soundwaves and fell flat across the bed of his tongue. He simply shook his head and shifted from one foot onto the other. He'd only arrived at Haley's house a few minutes ago after she'd called him and invited him for dinner- it was only when he stood at her door that he realized her daughter would be home and he'd be meeting her for the first time since they'd officially gotten together two months ago.

It hadn't been easy. It never was for Nathan and Haley.

She was finishing up the last leg of her summer tour and Nathan was busy traveling for work. On June 23rd, they had met in Charlotte, as per ritual, and decided enough was enough; no more waiting, and no more games. It was time to be together.

Haley's divorce was in the process of being finalized- and it turned out it hadn't been as difficult as she was expecting. Her husband had taken on multiple mistresses, and while two wrongs certainly don't make a right, it did ease her conscious a little bit. Still, it had been upsetting. He and Haley were married for almost seven years and had a child together; if she didn't feel anything, she'd have to question her integrity. It was painful, for sure, but the divorce was what they both needed. The love she had for him never compared to the size of her heart that was, and always will be, occupied by Nathan Scott.

After the tour, Haley settled back in Tree Hill to raise her daughter. Her now ex-husband had taken a job in London and practically moved without a trace. The only reminder of him was when he'd reluctantly send the child welfare check in the mail once a month.

Nathan, on the other hand, still resided in New York City, making his relationship with Haley a long-distance one. But, unlike before, they'd called each other every day and talked as much as possible, filling one another on the inconsequential details of their days. Nathan wanted to know what she ate for breakfast, what she was wearing (or not), how she felt, the color of the sky- nothing was too much information for him. He wanted to know it all. He had years to make up for.

They'd talk first thing in the morning and right before falling asleep at night. Until one day, two weeks ago, Nathan had had enough. He couldn't be apart from her anymore. They'd spend the last eight years with too much distance between them. The not knowing when he'd be seeing her next was maddening. So he quit his job and moved back to Tree Hill.

The whispers around town spread like wildfire. Nathan Scott was back in a town he swore he'd never return to after leaving high school. And, when he was seen holding hands with Haley at the riverwalk, the whispers sounded like screams. The stares followed them like shadows.

But neither cared.

They were back where they were meant to be. Together.

And now, here he was, about to meet Gracie for the first time ever.

Haley told Nathan that she'd talked with her daughter about him; how she was dating the man she'd loved since she was sixteen-years-old, and Gracie shrugged in the simple way that children do when they're unaffected by something.

Nathan wasn't sure why he was so nervous. She's four, he inwardly chanted. But deep down, he wanted the little girl to love him, to accept him. He wanted to laugh at the notion. He'd never cared what people thought about him before, yet here he was, on the verge of a full-fledged anxiety attack over the opinion of a child. Damn, he was whipped.

"Breathe, baby," Haley continued to coax him gently. Her hand was cradling his as they stood in the living room, waiting for Gracie to emerge from playing upstairs.

"I'm sorry," he coughed to cover up the choking sound, "I-I don't know why I'm acting like this."

Haley leaned on the tips of her toes to kiss his stubble-lined cheek. The feel of her lips against his skin caused a wave of ease to flush away his toxic nerves.

"I'm coming, Mommy!" Gracie's little voice echoed through the house. Nathan inhaled a deep breath and stared into Haley's warm brown-sugar eyes. He smiled.

Seconds later, the little girl appeared at the base of the stairs and Nathan's heart went from beating out of his chest, to stopping completely.

There she was; a miniature version of Haley. Same big, brown eyes. Same smile. Same nose. The only difference was her dark, raven black hair. Haley's natural color was a honey blonde- even now with chestnut brown, it wasn't as dark as Gracie's curls. The color actually looked a lot like his. She was beautiful.

"You're - she's . . .," the words were falling from his lips in a disorganized and nonsensical mess. "Wow."

Gracie smiled shyly and waved at the man that her mother was hugging. "Hi."

"Hi," Nathan blinked. His voice was hoarse.

Haley gave him another soft squeeze before bending down to be level with her daughter. "Gracie, this is my boyfriend, Nathan. He's going to be having dinner with us tonight."

Gracie surreptitiously looked up at Nathan and stared at him with her wide eyes. "You're really tall."

Coming back down to earth, chuckles spilled from his lips. He followed Haley's steps and bent onto his knees to be closer to the girl. He stared at her silently. It was then that he noticed the little brown freckle under her left eye- almost an exact replica of his own.

"He used to play basketball," Haley filled the silence. "He was really, really good."

This excited Gracie. A beaming grin slid between her lips. "Can you teach me to play?"

Nathan blinked hard. Tears coated the edges of his eyes, "I would love to."

"I wish I was tall," Gracie mused, "William always calls me a shrimp," she huffed. Nathan had no idea who William was but he couldn't help smiling. Grace was just like her mother; already rambling. In that moment, he knew he loved her as if she were his own.

Haley watched two of her favorite people interact. Between the utter awe on Nathan's face and Grace's happy chatter, she had nothing to worry about. Tears started to prick her own eyes when Grace naturally leaned out to grab Nathan's hand and mutter something about wanting to show him her dolls. She watched them disappear upstairs, right before Nathan craned his neck and smiled at her. The grin said it all. He loved her. He loved Gracie. Any previous marrings of anxiety on his face were erased, completely replaced with love and adoration. It melted her heart.

That was how it went for the rest of the night; Gracie was attached to Nathan's hip, or, more aptly, her hand never left his. Even at dinner, her left hand was wrapped around his, making it a bit difficult for him to eat, but he didn't care. His lips were permanently curved upwards. Nothing could bring him down.

Gracie kept talking. Nathan kept listening, intermittently asking questions or interjecting phrases like 'wow' or 'that sounds like fun.'

Haley, somehow, kept her tears at bay as she watched and listened. It's like they forgot she was there, but she was fine. The whole scene was better than anything she could have imagined. Nathan and Grace acted as if it wasn't the first time they'd met. The more she watched them, the bigger the pit in her stomach grew. The truth was staring straight at her- like deer in the headlights. She'd spent so long in denial but there was no denying it now.

Later in bed that night, curled up next to Nathan after making love, she listened to his heartbeat and traced the contours of his abs. The thoughts were swirling among her brain, tangled and growing thicker with each breath. She was so far deep into the woods and barely noticed Nathan shifting beside her.

"Hales?"

"Yeah?" She whispered.

"When is Grace's birthday?"

The air got caught in her lungs. She choked softly and picked her head up from his naked chest. "February 23rd."

He was silent. Their breaths were slow and steady, but far from sleep. Nathan furrowed his brow and stared into the darkness of Haley's bedroom. A crevice of the moon's light peeked behind the curtain, bathing the edge of the bed in a white glow.

"Oh," he finally mumbled. "Okay."

She studied him, his far-off gaze. The broadness of his shoulders slumping softly, the dejected tone of his husky voice.

"Why do you ask?" She nipped anxiously at the skin of her lower lip.

Nathan turned softly and gave her a sad smile, "I thought maybe . . . I hoped . . ." the words trailed into the darkness, disappearing.

"She was born a month early," Haley blurted.

"What?"

"She was due March 23rd, same as you," she palmed his cheek and watched as his eyes fluttered shut.

"That's uh, that's nine months after June 23rd," he muttered. The silent numbers calculated behind his eyes.

"I know," Haley's voice teetered. A steady stream of tears trickled down her cheeks.

"Haley?" Nathan opened his eyes and stared at her again. She felt it reach the inside of her soul. "Is Gracie . . .? Is she mine?"

Haley pursed her lips together and sniffled. "I don't . . . I don't know, but I always thought that maybe she could be . . . I'm so sorry, Nathan."

"I have to know, Hales," He sat up suddenly, pacing the room in the moonlight, undeterred that he was stark naked. "I have to know."

"I know," she whispered and stared at her hands. Suddenly her fingers were the most fascinating objects on the planet.

He blew out a deep breath and ran a hand through his dark hair. The same hair that matched Gracie's. Could he be a Dad? The thought was hard to separate. He didn't know how to feel, it was like excitement and confusion and hope and anxiety coagulated into a mixture of gray muck. What if he was? What if he spent the last four years missing out on watching his daughter grow? All because he didn't know if he wanted a family?

"Oh my God," he mumbled. "Oh my God."

"Nathan," Haley got out of bed and immediately threw his old t-shirt over her body. "Please look at me."

He stopped pacing upon feeling her soft hands on his arms, "I could be her father." His words spilled with hope as his eyes spilled with tears.

She didn't know what to do other than wrap herself around him and burrow her head into his chest. He hugged her and they stood there in the wake of the moon light. The world outside ceased to exist.

"I know I should have told you, I just, I didn't know how," she cried. "I don't even know if it's true-"

His hands cupped the back of her head and he held her close. Despite the confusion of emotions, he loved this woman. Whatever happened, that would never change.

"I want to be," his voice laced with conviction. "I want that more than anything, Haley."

She nodded against his chest, "Me too."

He slowly pulled away and cupped her cheeks with his hands, staring right into her moisture filled eyes. "I want to be a family. I spent so long pretending I didn't and look what I missed out on?"

"Stop it," Haley detected the guilt swirling among the pools of his blue eyes. "This isn't your fault, Nathan. It's mine. I- I always had a feeling, but I guess I was scared to admit it."

"It's okay," he kissed her firmly, "it's okay."

"We'll find out," she promised, "tomorrow."

And, less than 12 hours later, that's exactly what they were doing: anxiously awaiting to meet with a doctor for a DNA test. After dropping Gracie off at pre-school, and sneakily grabbing her hair brush from the bathroom, Haley and Nathan drove straight to the clinic, where a doctor would conduct a series of tests to find out if he was the father.

Neither slept last night. Nathan couldn't stop thinking about all he missed out on. Haley said not to blame himself but he did. If they'd never have broken up, they would have been together, married already, with a half a dozen kids. He wouldn't have to doubt anything. He'd be there for their children, never have missed out on a single milestone. But then again, the person he was a few years ago wasn't the type of man Haley and Gracie deserved. He worked constantly. Drank too much. Was immature and selfish- the type of guy, ironically, Haley ended up marrying. Over a recent dinner, Haley confessed to Nathan how absent her husband was. It tugged at his heart because all he wanted was for Haley to be happy. To be with a man who could love her and give her the family she deserved. Turned out the guy was just as bad as he was at the time.

Then Nathan started to worry about Grace. How would he tell her? She seemed to have liked him yesterday, but would it be different now that he was her father?

The anxiety from yesterday returned with an evil vengeance. Nathan felt his stomach do a series of somersaults and the burning bile rose through his esophagus.

"Nathan Scott?" A voice called out from behind a desk. "Dr. Wilson will see you now."

He swallowed a hard gulp of air and Haley squeezed his hand from beside him. Everything was happening all so fast. Just yesterday he was scared of meeting Haley's daughter and now there was a possibility Grace could be his. The throw-up feeling returned and he found it difficult to stand. He was seconds away from passing out.

Haley sensed his raging nerves; hell, she felt them too. She'd wanted Nathan to be Grace's father since the day she found out she was pregnant but she fiercely denied it- wouldn't even let herself think about it. Even after giving birth to Grace and noticing her dark head of hair and little freckle under her eye, Haley denied the voices in her head. But she should have known. Especially because her ex-husband was a blonde.

She leaned over and kissed Nathan softly, hoping to swallow some of his fear. "I love you," she said. And that was enough for him to regain the courage to stand and walk into the examination room.

The tests were quick- they took a blood sample, a hair extraction, and a cheek swab. Nathan's nerves were vibrating the entire time. The doctor told them it will take a few days to get the results and reassured them that even without a DNA sample from Haley's ex, all they needed was Grace's hair from the brush. If Nathan's DNA matched, there would be no doubts. If it didn't, that meant Haley's ex was the father. Simple science.

But nothing else about the situation was simple.

Haley silently worried Nathan would resent her.

Nathan silently worried about Grace's reaction. He tried not to get his hopes up, but he'd wanted nothing more in his life than to be that little girl's father. If he found out he was, it'd be the best news, but it would be devastating if Gracie rejected him.

"Are you okay?" Haley asked when they were back in the car. Nathan was silent since they left hand-in-hand.

He nodded and turned to look at her, "As long as you're with me, I always am."

She gave him a heart-melting smile and he pressed a kiss to the top of her hand. They drove home in a comfortable silence, each concocting ideal images of their future- unknowingly, they were almost exact. Whatever the result was, Nathan and Haley knew they were destined to be a family. No DNA test would change that- though, they both secretly hoped it would be official.

Three days passed.

Nathan was at his apartment, absent-mindedly thumbing through a stack of mail when he saw it: CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS written in a red stamp on a manila envelope. His heart dropped into his stomach and almost spat it out when he slowly opened the letter.

There were three sheets of paper and they all said the same thing. He stared at it. Time ticked on. He didn't know how long. He kept re-reading the same words.

He inhaled a shaky breath and grabbed his keys off the counter. There was only one place he wanted to be right now.

Haley was in the kitchen, folding a pile of laundry on the bar counter when she heard his voice. She jumped, not expecting him to be there, but smiled. The smile soon faltered after taking in the sight of his disheveled appearance. His eyes were red and cheeks were blotchy and the hair atop his head looked as if he'd been running his fingers through it.

"Nathan, what happened?"

He stared at her for a long time. Silent. The only thing he could hear was the heavy thumping of his heart against his chest.

"I love you," he finally said. The words were hushed and Haley almost didn't hear them.

"I love you, too," came her perplexed reply. She furrowed her brows, trying to find a reason for his current state. "Are you okay?"

He didn't answer- just took three long strides so that he was standing directly in front of her. "Marry me."

"What?" She squeaked. She certainly didn't expect those words to leave his mouth, especially considering she was standing in her kitchen with nothing but an old t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

"Will you marry me?" He asked huskily. A shiver crawled along her spine.

"Nathan, wha-" she mustered a tiny laugh, "where is this coming from?"

"Will you marry me, Haley James?" He asked again. The words were stronger now and he looked straight into her brown eyes.

"Yes, yes of course," she cried when the weight of reality crashed around her. Before she knew it, he was lifting her up and spinning her around, laughing.

Haley instantly wrapped her arms and legs around him, giggling along with his laughter.

They kissed long and passionately until he couldn't breathe. When they pulled apart, he smiled in a way she'd never seen before. "I'm a Dad."

The emotions played across her face like a time-lapsed sunset. First a look of shock, soon shifting into elation. Then the tears fell and her jaw dropped. She brought her hands to her mouth and shrieked.

"Are you serious? How did you- Oh my, God. Nathan!"

She launched herself back into his arms. He laughed wildly and nearly collided into the refrigerator. Her hands and lips were everywhere. Nathan held onto her tightly, kissing in celebration.

Haley felt his tears land on her skin and she pulled away, almost breathless. "You're a dad," she echoed.

He nodded fervently and pulled the paperwork from his back pocket to show her- 99.9% DNA positive. There were no doubts. Nathan Scott was Grace's father.

"They came in the mail today," he explained through his tears.

She sniffled and blinked. The words were a blurry jargon but the only thing that mattered was the matching DNA columns with Grace's results.

"I knew it," she whispered, "especially when you two met. You shared an immediate bond. He never had that with her."

Nathan laughed and wiped at his tears, "God, I love you."

"I love you, too. Daddy." She winked suggestively and his laughs increased in volume. He had won the lottery and then some.

"God, I can't- I just can't believe this."

"How do you feel?" Haley kissed the spot below his ear.

"Like everything in the world is right."

"It is," she agreed.

"And you're going to be my wife. Finally," his hands rubbed at her back, right by the '23' tattoo, and pushed her towards him.

"Finally," she whispered against his lips. "Grace and I are going to be Scott's."

Nathan swooped down to suck gently on her lower lip. She moaned quietly at the feel of the softness and opened her mouth to allow access for his probing tongue. They stood like that for several minutes, alternating the pace of their lips and tongues dancing.

When Nathan pulled away, it was then that he was hit with another pang of worry; "How are we going to tell Grace?" He whispered, knowing she was in the house somewhere. "I mean, do you think we should wait?"

Haley furrowed her brow. She hadn't given it too much thought before. All she worried about was if he was the father, never did it occur to her what they'd tell their daughter.

"It's uh, it's up to you. I think I should be the one to tell my ex, though."

"I agree," he nodded, "but what if she doesn't take it well? Hales, I don't know what I'd do if…"

She silenced him with another kiss. "Stop it. She already loves you."

"But what do you think we should do? I… I'm not good at this."

Haley grabbed hold of his hand, "I'm not going to lie, baby, she's going to be confused at first but I don't think we should wait too long. I think the earlier we tell her, the better."

"Okay," he nodded, "you're right."

As they kissed again, reveling in the good news and their engagement, Gracie came running into the kitchen, giggling at the sight of her mother and boyfriend tangled together.

Nathan practically jumped five feet away from his fiance, as if he'd been caught doing far much worse than kissing Haley. It suddenly felt incredibly inappropriate to be kissing in front of… his daughter. He smiled at her presence.

"Hi."

"Hi, Nathan," she flashed him an adorable grin, displaying her dimples proudly. When she glanced at her mom, the smile sloped into an inquisitive frown. "Why are you crying?"

Turns out they didn't have to wait too long to tell her, after all.

Nathan and Haley shared a knowing look. They inhaled heavy breaths and knelt down to be close to Gracie. Neither knew how she'd handle the news, but they hoped she'd be as happy as they were.

"Um, sweetie, Nathan and I have something to tell you."

"Are you going to have a baby?" Her eyes widened as if under the scope of a magnifying glass, "Casey's mom is having a baby. She's really fat now. Are you going to get fat, too, Mommy? I always wanted a little sister!"

The couple stood stunned, completely at a loss for words. They were not expecting that, clearly.

"No, Gracie. I'm not having a baby right now." Haley watched Gracie frown, "But we have something else exciting to tell you. Two things actually."

Gracie bounced on the tips of her toes, "what is it?" Her gaze shifted between them.

Haley eyed Nathan, giving him an encouraging look. He nodded and wiped his sweaty palms on the knees of his jeans.

"So, um, I know you and I just met the other day, Grace, but your mom and I… well, I've loved her for a very, very long time. Even before you were born."

He paused and took notice of Gracie's infectious grin. Nathan took it as a positive sign and continued, "and well, I asked her to marry me."

Nathan chickened out and told her the easier news first. Better to see how she reacted at that news before she found out he was her real father.

"You're getting married?"

Nathan gulped and glanced nervously at Haley, who eagerly jumped into the conversation.

"Yes, sweetie, we are. How do you feel about that?"

"Does that mean Nathan is going to live with us forever?"

"Well, yeah," Haley bit her lip. She couldn't tell how Grace was processing it.

"Cool, can he sleep in my room?"

She laughed, "sorry, kiddo. Mommies and their husbands have to share a bed together."

"Okay," Gracie shrugged. "Can I be the flower girl at the wedding?"

"Of course," Nathan chimed in. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't ask you first. Are you sure you're okay with me marrying your mommy?"

Grace nodded, "yep. I love weddings. I went to Aunt Quinn's wedding and it was so much fun."

Nathan chuckled and reached out to place his hand on Gracie's shoulder, "thank you, Gracie. Your mom makes me really happy and I've wanted to marry her for a long time."

"Why didn't you?" She asked in the innocence of a child.

Nathan rubbed at his stubble, and thought hard. "I wasn't very smart, Gracie. I thought she'd be better and happier without me in her life but it wasn't true."

"Is that why mommy married my daddy?"

Nathan tensed and Haley interjected, "actually, Grace, there's something else we need to tell you. It might be a little confusing at first, okay?"

Gracie nodded and waited patiently as her mom thought of what to say.

How do you tell a four-year-old that their father isn't who she thinks it is? Haley sighed. There was no easy way to do it. Maybe they should have waited… thought things over. But before she even had a chance to recede, Nathan was talking again.

"Gracie, I know we just met," Nathan repeated, "but, uh," he choked on a breath, "but I love you."

Gracie threw herself into his arms, "I love you, too, Nathan! You're the coolest!"

He laughed and felt the tears return to his eyes. "I'm glad you think that."

"Grace," Haley said after wiping her tears, "the reason why I was crying before was because I'm really happy."

"Because you're marrying Nathan?"

"Yes, and because of something else, too."

"What?"

"Nathan took a special test today."

"At school?" Gracie furrowed her eyebrows tightly.

"No, sweetie," Haley's lips twisted into a sideways smile, "a different kind of test. Not one you study for. It's like a blood test. Remember when the doctor did that for you?"

Grace nodded and continued to listen intently.

"Well, the blood test told us something special."

If Nathan thought he was nervous when he first met Gracie, nothing compared to the jumbled nerves he felt in this moment.

"Grace," Nathan stuttered, "it turns out, uh, I'm your biological dad."

He waited. Waited for her to scream or cry or punch him. But nothing happened. She blinked those doe brown eyes and was still smiling.

"What does that mean?"

"It means," Haley interjected softly again, "that I loved Nathan so much and our love made you- even though I was married to someone different. We didn't know it at first and that's why Nathan had to take that test. It said he's your real dad even though he wasn't here for a few years."

"So I have two dads?"

Haley inhaled a shaky breath. This was harder than she ever imagined. One day she'd tell Grace the whole truth- how she slept with Nathan even when she was married to another man- but right now, Grace was too young to understand that and she definitely wasn't about to teach her four-year-old about sex.

"Um, kind of. Not really. Think of it this way. You know how you have the same color hair as Nathan?"Gracie nodded, "that's because you're part of him and part of me. That's why you and I have the same eyes and you got your hair color from him."

"Oh," she nodded again.

"Does that make sense?" Haley asked softly.

"I think so."

Nathan cleared his throat and rocked on his heels. It was a good thing he was still crouching down otherwise he might have passed out on the floor. "Listen, Gracie, you don't have to call me Dad if you don't want. I know your mom was married to another man and he was kind of like your dad, so I'm not going to replace him."

"Yeah," Haley said, "I know he moved away but you can still talk to him on the phone if you want."

Gracie remained silent and mulled over the information. She stared at Nathan and smiled again, then proceeded to reach for his hand. "That's okay. I'm glad Nathan's my real Dad. He plays with me."

Haley's tears returned and she had to hide her smile behind the palm of her hand. In Grace's eyes, the world was simple. She loved those who cared for her, and didn't like the people who never paid attention to her. It was almost like there was an unspoken bond between Gracie and Nathan; a relationship she never had with the man who she called her dad.

If Haley was being honest, she knew her ex would, selfishly, be happy about the news. He hated that he had to pay child support, and barely played the role of a father when he was here anyway. It was always work, or out with the guys. When he'd come home, he'd barely even say goodnight to 'their' daughter. She hated him for it. One time Gracie asked her why daddy wouldn't ever talk to her and it broke her heart. Maybe, deep down, he knew she wasn't his. Whatever the reason, Haley knew Nathan would be a better father than her ex ever was. She even hoped somewhere in the near future, they'd have another one. Maybe a son with his eyes.

She was pulled from her daydream when Gracie launched herself into Nathan's arms, almost knocking him down. Their giggles filled the space of the kitchen and Haley put her hands over her heart when a tear escaped the corner of Nathan's eye.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here when you were a baby, Grace," Nathan said. "But I promise you that I'm never, ever leaving you or your mommy. I love you both so much."

He felt her tiny hands grip his shoulders, "I love you, too."

The next six months passed in a blur for Nathan, Haley, and Gracie. They had decided they didn't want to wait too long to get married, so with the help of Haley's best friend Brooke, they planned the wedding.

It took place, of course, in a beautiful Japanese garden in Charlotte, North Carolina. Gracie was flower girl and wore a beautiful soft pink dress. Haley looked stunning in her white gown- it left Nathan both speechless and in tears.

People were, as expected, in shock about the news of their relationship. Especially about Nathan's paternity, but most of their friends and family members were surprisingly accepting and excited about it.

Haley's ex admitted he'd had doubts about his fatherhood, especially because he'd seen the pictures of Nathan. He was reasonably upset, but in the end, signed all of his rights to Nathan, happy he'd never have to write another child support check again.

When Nathan and Haley arrived home from their honeymoon in Mexico, Grace's new birth certificate was waiting for them in the mail: it had Nathan Scott written as the father.

Coincidentally, the minute they'd picked Grace up from Haley's mother's house, Grace ran right into Nathan's arms with the first, joyful declaration of, "Daddy! I missed you!"

He held her in his arms for what felt like forever and cried. He'd cried the whole ride home and the smile didn't leave his lips for weeks. Haley, too, couldn't stop smiling. She felt sinfully happy. And when the two blue lines on the pregnancy test showed up, she knew that smile wouldn't be leaving for a long time.

"Nathan," she announced upon walking out of their en-suite bathroom. Her smile rivaled the brightness of the stars, "you're going to be a dad. Again."

He jumped up from the bed and raced towards her. Nathan's happiness was unfathomable. Between marrying the love of his life, finding out he has a daughter, and Haley telling him she's pregnant with his other baby, he couldn't believe it. He barely remembered a time before them, before his family. They were his drug, and he'd do anything for them. Life always had a way of working out, even when you least expect it. All those years of wishing on blue moons and hidden stars were worth it; Nathan and Haley Scott wouldn't change a single thing- because it all brought them to the present moment, right there in the bowling alley.

Life was still great. Better than great. They had their daughter and their son, and now another blessing on the way. He loved Haley a little more each day, even though he swore it was impossible to love her any more than he already did.

They lived a quiet, simple life. She went back to teaching English and music at the local high school, and Nathan worked from home. He ran a sports agency with his best friend who ran the company in New York. Once every few months, Nathan still had to travel, but for the most part, he was always home with the kids- the best job in the world.

James Lucas Scott arrived on September 23rd (Nathan and Haley swore 23 was their lucky number) a little over three years ago. His eyes looked like blue moons and they couldn't imagine anything more perfect. Gracie was the best big sister and doted on her little brother constantly. Nathan loved nothing more than teaching them how to play basketball out on their driveway.

It was the perfect life; the life Haley always dreamed of, and the life Nathan always dreamed of giving her.

"You're an amazing man, Nathan Scott," Haley's voice stirred him from his reverie. "We love you so much."

"I love you, too."

And he always would, no matter what color of the moon.