Disclaimer - Lost belongs to NBC (I think) and so it'll stay that way, no matter how many disclaimers I write. This fic is after the island and after Kate has served her time.

Kate nervously shifted on her feet after ringing the doorbell. She heard footsteps in the house and she bit her lip. The door opened.

"Kate?" Jack stared at her in disbelief.

Kate tried to smile back, but her face crumpled. "Jack."

"Hey, what's wrong?" Jack wrapped his arms around her and led her inside his house. "Kate, what's wrong?"

"I tried to call." Kate said. "Busy signal."

"It's okay." Jack said. "Where have you been? Claire and Sun have gotten a couple calls, but..."

"I tried." Kate shook her head. "I just couldn't."

"No!" Jack shouted. "I tried to visit you at CIW! They told me you didn't want to see anyone. That was for four years. One day they told me you were gone. And now, a year and three months later, you're here? Where were you?"

Kate began to sob and she covered her mouth with her hand, as if to hide it. Tears came to Jack's eyes and he rocked her back and forth. Kate pulled away.

"Kate..." Jack pleaded with her.

"No," Kate said, the remnants of a smile on her face. She burst out the door, stopping in front of an old, battered car. She opened the door and reached into the car, pulling out a baby.

Jack stared. "Kate, what's this?"

"Don't worry, she's not mine." Kate teased. "But he is."

A small boy clambered out of the opposite car, searching the street warily before crossing to the sidewalk. He was thin, but sturdy, and had shaggy, curly brown hair.

Jack's throat swelled up. "Is he mine?"

Joy welled up in Kate's eyes. "Yes, Jack."

Jack's son looked up at him with hazel eyes. "Are you my dad?"

"Yes." Jack nodded, emotions and a long night at work beginning to catch up with him.

"His name is Sam, Samuel Thomas Austen." Kate told Jack. "He's five."

Sam nodded in confirmation, standing there in his beat up Converse and worn t-shirt. Jack crossed the ground between them in one big step and pulled his son in for a hug.

"I'm your dad, Sam." Jack grinned. "I'm your dad."

Sam looked uneasy and held himself stiff. As soon as was released, he looked more relaxed.

"Mom, when are we leaving?" He whispered to his mother, trying to be quiet. Jack heard him and stiffened.

"I don't know, Sam." Kate answered, keeping one eye on Jack.

"Well, why don't you come in?" Jack asked. "I can get you some dinner or something."

"Alright." Kate said. "C'mon, Sam."

"What's for dinner, Mom?" Sam questioned, slipping his hand into Kate's free one.

"Ask your father." Kate smiled at Jack.

"Um...leftovers okay?"

"Leftover what?" Sam said with a look of horror on his face.

"Leftover chicken and vegetables." Jack answered, somewhat confused.

"Oh, good," Sam was obviously quite relieved. "Because once Mum saved this really nasty t.v. dinner stuff, and when she said leftover time, it was nastier."

"Sam," Kate said, blushing, "I didn't make you eat it."

"No, but I took a bite before I knew it was bad."

"Tell Jack about your sister."

"She's Bailey." Sam answered.

"The woman we were living with, she had a baby, but didn't take care of it much. She was drunk a lot and ran out of food. I'm not sure if she even knows its gone."

"You kidnapped her?" Jack asked in disbelief.

"She hadn't even named her, Jack." Kate gave him a look. "Of course I took her."

"Do you want me to take her?" Jack held out his arms.

"NO!" Sam shouted, placing himself between Kate and Jack. "You can't have her! She's ours!"

"Hon, your daddy just wants to hold her." Kate smiled, handing Bailey to Jack.

"How old is she?" Jack asked, smiling down at the cute face.

"Seven months." Kate opened the door for Jack, who had his arms full.

Sam was staring at Jack and Bailey. "She's not yours."

"I know." Jack was taken by surprise.

"It's okay, Sammy." Kate said. "Just take it in, remember?"

Sam smiled, revealing a space where his front tooth should have been. "I know, mum."

"How long are you going to stay, Kate?" Jack asked.

"I don't know. You've got your life and I've got mine."

"Sam is my son." Jack said vehemently. "You can't take him away from me."

"You haven't been there." Kate retorted. "I have. He didn't even know he had a father until last week."

The hurt was obvious is Jack's eyes.

"Jack, I'm sorry." Kate said quickly. "It's just, I'm used to making the decisions."

"Okay," Jack nodded. "But you can't take him away."

"We'll see." She promised vaguely. "I can get the food."

"It's in the fridge, top space on the left."

"Ugh, Jack," An amused Kate stared at Jack over the refrigerator door. "Do you ever clean your fridge?"

"Yah," Jack said defensively. "I cleaned it last...two months ago."

Kate giggled and brought out the dish of food.

"Is that two months old?" Sam asked warily.

"No, I had it two nights ago." Jack grinned at Sam. "It's safe."

Kate took off the lid and stuck it in the microwave. She went to the cupboards and flipped them open until she found the one with the plates. Turning to Jack, she asked, "Do you want to eat?"

"I already did." Jack said.

"Okay." Kate got out two plates. Jack handed Bailey to Sam and got up to help Kate.

"Do you have a dog?" Sam asked.

"Sorry, but no." Jack said. "Would you like a dog?"

"I want a dog with long fur, so I can pet it. I want him to play catch with me." Sam nodded seriously.

"I'll tell you what, if you stay than we'll pick out a dog for you." Jack promised.

"We don't stay long in one place." Sam told him. "And the hotels don't let us have dogs."

"Then we can keep it her, for when you visit."

Sam thought about that for a minute, then beamed.

Kate dished out the food and switched Sam's plate for Bailey.

"Here, you eat." Jack held Bailey so Kate could eat her food.

"So, where was Sam when you were in.." Jack cut off, thinking that Sam might not know where Kate had been during his babyhood. "When you were away?"

"Sammy stayed with my cousin. We were kind of close when we were kids. She was okay with helping out. I got him as soon as I could."

Sam pushed his peas around his plate with his fork. "I'm tired. Can I go to bed?"

"Finish your peas." Kate told him. "Or I'll..."

"Sell you to the man who makes the fertilizer." Sam mimicked in a high-pitched voice. Kate swatted at him, but he evaded her easily. He brought the plate up to his mouth and swallowed the peas in one gulp.

"Chew your food." Kate said as Jack told Sam to "Chew or you'll choke."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Is that a parent thing?"

Kate met Jack's eyes before laughing and breaking away. "Yes," Jack held Kate's hand. "That was a parent thing."

"Okaay." Sam held out the word. "Where do I sleep?"

"You can have the guest room." Jack told him. "It's the first door you see when you get up the stairs."

"You go on up, Sammy. I'll bring Bailey in a minute."

"You'll have to drive her." Sam warned. "She won't sleep unless she's in a car."

"Just go to bed." Kate smiled.

"You'll see." Sam threw up his hands. "You'll wish you listened to me."

"I'll just wake you up and have you sing to her." Kate teased.

"I'd think it was morning and I'd sing the wake-up song." Sam smiled mischievously. "But then I'd get too tired and you'd be stuck with her."

"She'd cry too loud." Kate shot back. "You'd have to hold her because I'd have to go to the bathroom."

"And you wouldn't come out." Sam's good mood disappeared and he glared at his mother. "And I'd have to come and get you but you'd be dead. You'd be bleeding..."

"Sam," Kate warned. "To bed."

With one final glare at Kate, Sam trudged upstairs.

Jack raised his eyebrows worriedly. "Blood, Kate?"

"It was nothing, honest." Kate said, tight-lipped. "Just forget it."

"Kate." Jack looked deep into her eyes. "You can tell me."

"No, I can't." Kate glared at him. "I can't. It doesn't matter anymore."

Jack let it go, not wanting to drive her away as soon as he got her back.

"It is okay that we stay here for a bit?" Kate asked shyly.

"Kate, you'll always have a place here." Jack told her. "Why now, though?"

"Sammy started asking about you." Kate said. "It was time he met his dad."

"You didn't miss me at all?" Jack wondered.

"Well, yah." Kate grinned at Jack. "I was just..."

"Sam." Jack beamed. "You should have told me sooner."

"I tried. So you like him?"

"He's my son."

"He has your eyebrows. Poor kid." Kate teased.

Jack gasped in mock hurt. "So, tell me about him. Sam."

"Um, he's really smart." Kate said proudly. "How could he not be? Look at his father. He's really protective of Bailey, ever since he learned her mother didn't love her. He's gotten better now that I'm her mom."

Bailey was half asleep in Jack's arms, and trying to fight it. Her tiny fists rubbed at her eyes and she blinked.

"She's tired." Jack smiled lovingly.

"Do you mind that she isn't yours?"

"As long as she isn't yours either." Jack traced the lines on Kate's hand.

"Tell me about you." Kate said. "Still a surgeon?"

"Yes, working long days at the hospital." Jack groaned.

"No romantic interests?" Kate half-joked.

"Well, there is one." Jack said slowly.

"Who?" Kate tried to appear nonchalant.

"Well, she bore my son and brought me a perfect baby girl." Jack grinned.

"Oh, right."

"How long are you going to stay, Kate?"

The question caught her off guard. "I don't know. Long enough for Sam to get to know his dad. And I'll bring him around once in a while."

"Why can't you stay forever?" Jack pleaded.

Kate shifted. "I don't know. It's...complicated."

Bailey made a small noise and the pair looked down at her. She was sleeping in Jack's arms.

"I'll stay forever if you can get her to do that every night." Kate shook her head in amazement.

"I said I'd call Claire." Jack realized.

"What?"

"I said I'd call her when I got news from you." Jack said. "We were trying to find you."

Kate tossed him the phone. He caught it one-handed, then tossed it back. "She'd rather hear from you."

"Do I have to?" Kate said.

"Otherwise, you'll have to take Bailey. I can't talk when both my hands are busy."

Kate rolled her eyes and dialed the number.
"You memorized her number?" Jack asked.

"Do you know how many times I tried to call you guys? Even Hurley... Be quiet, it's ringing."

"Hello?" It was a man's voice, presumably Charlie's.

"Hi. Is Claire there?"

"Um...Claire?" You could hear Charlie shouting for Claire. "She's not available right not. Can I take a message?"

"Just tell her it was Kate. I'm at..."

"Bloody heck. Claire, it's Kate!" There was a short scream and a scuffle.

"Kate?"

"Hi, Claire."

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe it! Where are you? Where have you been?"

"I'm at Jack's."

"Good. I can't believe it! What have you been up to?"

"Nothing really." Kate answered wryly. "I have a son."

"You're joking!" Claire asked in disbelief.

"And a daughter, who isn't really mine." Kate added.

"Kate's got two kids!" Claire told Charlie. "What are their names?"

"Sam is Jack's and he's five. Bailey is my friend's and she's seven months."

"Aw, they sound so cute. How long will you be at Jack's?"

"I don't know. I wasn't even going to stay but..."

"You'd better stay. Did you know we just live three hours from where you are? Ask Jack if we can come."

"Claire, you'll be driving all night. I'm not going anywhere."

"Ask him."

Kate smiled and rolled her eyes. "Jack, can Claire and Charlie come?"

"Sure." Jack answered.

"I heard that." Claire said. "Charlie, get Aaron ready. Ooh, Kate, guess what?"

"What?"

"I'm pregnant again!"

"I wouldn't be driving." Kate warned. "It seems the unluckiest things happy to you when you travel pregnant."

On the other line, Claire snorted. "Right. You'd better stay up for us, cause we're almost ready."

"Okay, okay."

"Got to go, Charlie's got the car waiting."

"How did you get ready so fast?" Kate wondered.

"Long story. Ask for it when we get there. See you in a bit."

The phone line clicked and Kate stared at it. "Bye?"

"So, Claire and Charlie are coming?" Jack asked.

"Guess I'd better move Sammy out of the guest room."

"I'll get him. You eat." Jack made his way up the stairs and Kate was left sitting there, excited and apprehensive.

Please review. If I don't get like 5 reviews for this chapter in a day or so, I'm not keeping it up.