Author's Note: Thanks for reviewing, for those who did. Finally, the Kate/Isabella reunion that you have all been waiting for!
The next afternoon Jack picked Isabella up from school. But instead of going home, he headed to the park.
"Daddy, where are we going?" Isabella asked, confused.
"We're going to the park. Do you want to go to the park?" Jack asked.
Isabella's eyes lit up. "Yeah!"
Jack chuckled and he kept driving to the park.
When he got there he got Bella out of her car seat and she ran over to the slide. Jack watched her and walked over to a bench that was a little ways away, but not so far away that he couldn't see Isabella. Jack glanced at his watch and then watched his daughter subconsciously.
A few minutes later a cool voice whispered, "Hey." Jack turned and saw Kate leaning on the back of the bench.
"Hey," he replied, nodding to the empty seat next to him.
Kate walked around the bench and then sat next to Jack. She glanced around the park and she smiled.
"She's beautiful, Jack."
He looked at Isabella and then at Kate.
"Just like you, Kate."
Kate blushed. "Can I…I mean, can you bring her over here?" she asked.
Jack nodded. "Sure," he said, standing up. Then Jack walked over to the slide where Isabella was.
"Isabella come here," he said, bending down.
"Why, Daddy?"
"Just come here. Daddy wants you to meet someone."
She nodded and Jack took her hand. Jack led his daughter over to the bench that Kate was sitting at.
When Kate saw Isabella she began to cry. Isabella looked up at her father confused.
"Daddy, why's that lady crying?"
Jack glanced at Kate and then at Isabella.
Kate looked at Isabella and smiled as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Hey, Izzy," Kate said, grinning widely.
Bella looked at Kate, her head cocked to one side. "Hi," she said nervously, glancing at her father once before looking back at the strange lady.
"Isabella, do you know who I am?"
The three-year-old shook her head.
"I'm," Kate glanced nervously at Jack. He nodded.
Kate looked at Isabella and said, "I'm your mother."
Isabella's eyes widened and she looked at Kate shocked. "Mommy?"
Kate smiled and nodded. Then Isabella flung her arms around her mother.
"Mommy!"
Kate picked Isabella up and pulled Izzy onto her lap.
"Mommy! Mommy, home? Mommy come home with Daddy and me?"
Kate smiled and nodded. "Mommy's staying."
Isabella smiled widely and held onto her mother tightly. Jack sat down next to Kate and kissed her cheek. Kate looked at him as she stroked her daughter's hair. Isabella closed her eyes. Kate rubbed her back and looked at Jack.
"Now that she knows…" Kate trailed off.
Jack caught her drift. "DO you want to move in tonight?" he asked.
"Yes. I…is it okay?"
Dr. Shephard nodded. "Of course Kate."
Later that night, Jack took Kate to get her stuff from Claire's. When they returned home, Isabella was eager to help unpack Kate's things. Once they finished unpacking, Isabella followed her mother everywhere.
"Mommy," Isabella whined, tugging on Kate's jeans.
"What, baby?" Kate asked looking down at Isabella.
Isabella held her arms out from her mother.
"I'm tired," she said.
Kate picked Izzy up and carried her up the stairs. Bella rested her head on her mother's shoulder and yawned. When Kate walked into Isabella's room she help Bella change into her pajamas and then tucked her into bed.
"Night, Mommy."
"Good night, Izzy," Kate said, kissing her daughter's forehead. "I love you," Kate added.
"Love you too."
Then Kate walked out of her daughter's bedroom, turning off the light and closing the door partway.
When Kate got downstairs, she saw Jack sitting on the couch watching the news. Kate snuck up behind Jack and kissed her neck. Dr. Shephard turned around and grinned.
"Hey sexy," Jack said.
Kate looked at him, blushing slightly. She sat on the top of the couch and continued to kiss Jack. Dr. Shephard pulled Kate onto his lap and his tongue entered Kate's mouth. She pulled away a moment later and smirked. Jack smiled.
"I love you, Kate," he said as his hands ran up and down her body.
"I love you too, Jack," Kate said, kissing his cheek.
Jack stroked Kate's hair and then asked, "Izzy in bed?"
"Mhm." Then Kate glanced up at Jack. "Don't you think that this, us and me moving in, that it's-I dunno-a bit too fast?"
Jack looked down at her, puzzled. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"I…I mean, I just met Izzy today and I'm moved in now. I just…you said it'd take at least a week, and it's only been one day."
Jack looked at her, still confused. "Wait, Kate. Do you want to live here or not?"
"I do! It's just…don't you think it's going a bit too fast?"
Jack shook his head confidently. "It's not going fast. Trust me."
Kate bit her lip. "I don't know, Jack."
"Do you trust me?" he asked, anger floating through his voice.
Kate was aware of the anger in his voice and she tried to calm him. "Yes, Jack. I trust you."
"Well, it's not going too fast. Isabella, she loves you. She's in high spirits. If you moved out, even for a day or two, it would devastate her. Trust me. We're not going too fast."
Kate sighed and nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry Jack."
He looked at her and shook his head. "It's okay. I just don't want you to leave. I want you to stay as much as Bella wants you to stay."
Kate smiled. Then she kissed Jack's cheek. Dr. Shephard stroked Kate's hair and closed his eyes. Kate smiled and snuggled closer to Jack. After a few minutes he spoke.
"Hey, I have to go to work tomorrow. Do you want to pull Isabella out of school for the day and go shopping?" Jack opened his eyes and looked at her.
Kate glanced at him. "Sure Iz will like that."
Jack nodded. "She'll love it. You're her role model, Kate. She thinks you're great. She loves you."
"Sorry," Kate murmured.
"Sorry? For what, honey?"
"I'm sorry that she loves me more than she loves you."
"Kate," he said, slightly taken back. "Kate, it's okay. I know that Iz loves me. And I know that she loves you. It's okay. You don't have to be sorry."
Kate was silent and Jack resumed stroking Kate's curly brown locks.
After a few minutes Kate said, "I'm glad I came back."
Jack kissed her lips. "I'm glad you came back too," he said after pulling away.
Kate grinned and rested her head on his chest. A few minutes later both she and Jack went to bed.
