Author's Notes: This will tell what happened during those 20 years we never got to see. There will be a date at the beginning of each chapter. The chapters will spans days, months, and even years. But I hope this will suffice as a sequel to "Between The Lines", and a follow up on Jack and Karen. The song lyrics used in this chapter are "A Year Ago Today" by Delta Goodrem.

Disclaimer: These characters are property of NBC and their own creators; as is any piece of an episode needed for the chapter. I make no money from this. Any song lyrics used are also property of their own creator.

Hereafter And Forever

Part 1: A Year Ago Today

(May 19, 2009)

The loud, consistent ringing of her cell phone was what woke Karen up this morning. She groaned loudly as she rolled over in bed, and reached onto the table for it, not even bothering to open her eyes yes. She yawned before she put it up to her mouth.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Walker?" It was a female voice.

Karen sighed, it was much to early in the morning for the phone to be ringing.

"Ms. Walker?" The voice came again.

"Yes. Speaking. Who is this?" Karen groaned silently as she sat up in bed. She noticed she was alone, but smiled when she heard the sound of running water in the bathroom.

My name is Wilhelmina Cavanaugh. I'm calling because I'm thinking of hiring a Ms. Grace Adler as the designer of the redecoration project at my hotel, and she has you listed as a reference."

"Oh yes." Karen replied.

Karen didn't really work with Grace anymore, but Grace sometimes put her as a reference. Even though she had divorced Stan, she was still in good standing with many of the acquaintances she had made. And sometimes she would stop by to see Grace on days when Jack was working. "The Badge" had quickly fallen through after the whole fiasco with Jack's voice being dubbed, but so far he had been able to find some work here and there doing commercials and small TV roles.

"Would you recommend her, Ms. Walker?" The woman asked.

"Oh sure, I'd recommend Grace for anything. Except fashion advice, because that is just not her cup of tea." Karen laughed. "Yeah honey, let her redecorate for you. You won't be disappointed. Ok? Bye-bye."

Karen hung up the phone and groaned loudly, dropping it back on the table. "From now on, I don't answer my phone before 10:30." She then heard the water shut off, and she pulled the covers down, crawling to the foot of the bed.

She grinned as she watched the bathroom door open.

"Morning sexy….ahhh! Rosie!" Karen gawked at Rosario standing there in a plush white bathrobe and her hair in a towel, "Where's Jack?"

"He went out to get bagels." Rosario answered.

"Well what are you doing using our bathroom?"

"Mine was out of that chamomile shampoo that I like."

Karen glared at her, "So why didn't you just take the bottle with you?"

Rosario said nothing, only smiling. Karen grumbled as she climbed out of bed, found her robe and slippers and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

~~~~**~~~~

Another year older
A little bit stronger
A little bit wiser than
A year ago today

Jack smiled as he saw Karen appear at the foot of the stairway. He hurried over and pulled her into his arms, planting a soft kiss on her lips.

"How are you still the most beautiful person in the world at this hour in the day?" He asked.

"Magic." Karen laughed, kissing him once again. "And what about you Jackie? Walking around here with a body like yours, I may be forced to do dirty things to you in front of the fireplace."

Rosario rolled her eyes, "I think I liked it better when he was a flouncing homo and you were eternally bitchy."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Karen snapped, pointing her finger at Rosario, "Don't you start with me! I can still bitch with the best of them!"

The three of them sat down together at the table. At some point Jack had managed to convince Karen to allow Rosario to eat breakfast with them, which Karen reluctantly agreed too. Jack knew better than to push for lunch or dinner.

"Do you have work today Jackie?" Karen asked.

"No. I made sure I wouldn't because I wanted to spend today with you." Jack said.

"Why?"

"Karen. Don't you remember? It was a year ago today that we all moved in here together."

"Oh my god, I did forget!" Karen exclaimed, "Oh poodle, that's so sweet of you to remember. What are we going to do today?"

"Oh, I know, we should all go on a picnic together." Rosario said.

Jack and Karen were quiet, staring at her.

"Um, sorry Rosie, you're not invited." Jack said, his lips pouty, "Anyway…I have an idea Kare! Let's go on a picnic in the park!"

"Oh that sounds fabulous Jackie, I'd like that."

"And then, afterward, we can go shopping and pick you out something pretty."

"Jackie…" Karen giggled, "I love when you spoil me!" Karen took a sip of her morning Bailey's, with a bit of coffee mixed in. "Oh, but first we have to stop by Grace's office. Some old woman called me this morning for a recommend…and I gave it of course, but she sounded shifty. Gracie will get in over her head and get taken advantage of, so I better just give her a quick run-through of dealing with wealthy people 101."

"Karen, Grace isn't an amateur. She knows what she's doing." Jack said.

"That and I heard a new shop just opened a few doors over, and supposedly they have Armani that isn't available anywhere else yet." She winked at Jack.

"Well don't just sit there, drink your coffee!"

~~~~**~~~~

Jack and Karen walked into the old familiar office of Grace Adler designs, which hadn't changed in the least. It was still a cluttered mess, and Karen's old desk was even the same.

"Grace!" Karen called out.

A tiny little girl with bouncy reddish curls came running out of the swatch room, "Kare-Kare!" She ran straight to Karen, who bent down to scoop up the little girl.

"Hi Leeloo! Where's your mom?"

"Karen." Grace's voice came, "For like, the 75th time, please don't call her that. Her name is Laila. She's getting confused."

Karen set little Laila down, who then saw Jack and ran to him.

"What are you doing here Karen?" Grace asked.

"I got a phone call this morning from some woman named Wilhelmina Cavanaugh."

"Oh my god. Mrs. Cavanaugh actually called you for a recommendation? You told her yes, right?"

"Yes."

"Oh Karen, thank you. You have no idea what a job this is. The money I could make from this alone is enough to give me the rest of the year off. Which…I might take to spend some more time with Laila." Grace smiled at her daughter playing patty-cake with Jack.

"Gracie, I don't want you to overwhelm yourself. Now you make sure you aren't being taken advantage of. I know women like her, they can be very crafty."

"Like you were Karen?"

"Huh? What do you mean were?" Karen asked.

"Come on Kare, we've all changed a little. We've grown and matured. I think Jack's made an honest woman out of you." Grace grinned.

"Oh yeah, well we'll just see about that. Come on Jackie, let's go throw pennies at people who are badly dressed and shout 'try again!'."

Karen turned and walked out the door, Jack shrugged as he followed after all.

Grace shook her head, "Some things never change."

~~~~**~~~~

"Karen! Karen!" Jack called after her as Karen walked ahead of him on the sidewalk. "Karen, stop!" Karen threw a penny at a passing old lady, Jack then caught up with her and grabbed her by the hand. "Karen! What's wrong?"

"Grace is right Jackie, I've gone soft."

"Karen…no you haven't. You're still the same rude, materialistic, gold-digging, narcissist that I love."

"Am I?" Karen kicked at the ground.

"Of course. The way you threw change at that old woman was inspiring. May I?" Jack held out his hand. Karen smiled at she handed him a penny. Jack joined her in throwing change at the same old woman, the two of them laughing.

They watched the woman grab the attention of a passing police officer.

"Limo!" Jack yelled, "Hurry!"

~~~~**~~~~

As the limo drove to their Central Park destination, Karen felt Jack intertwine his fingers with hers, "Happy Anniversary Kare."

Karen said nothing, simply pulling him in for a kiss.

Looking over my shoulder
I was so much younger then
I can't believe what happened
A year ago today