good things come in threes? three chapters at once? yes?

This can be read as a companion to R is for Ring but like most (if not all) of my chapters can be read standing alone.

enjoy -

Y is for Yes

One year.

They'd been in the 'real world', that is, their proper time and place and alive, for one year.

They lived in a nice two story house just outside the city; house hunting had been surprisingly easy. All he wanted was a backyard and a barbecue.

"What are you thinking about?" warm, slender arms wrapped around his stomach from behind and he grinned into the sink.

"Nothin', just, it's been a whole year." he replied quietly. She squeezed him and kissed his shoulder before settling her chin there.

"Still happy?"

"Juliet, it's stupid how happy I am." He said as he turned in her embrace and rested a hand on her cheek, thumb stroking the skin slowly. She mirrored his smile and bit her lip.

"What are you thinkin' about?" he countered. She looked up at him and he could see the start of a flush coming up her cheeks. "What?" he asked, curious now.

"Just thinking there's not enough time before people get here for you to show me how happy you are." she said softly, looking down to his mouth, toying with the shirt at his back gently.

"You, ma'am, are going to kill me one of these days with that mouth of yours, you know that?" he groaned out before pressing a loving kiss to her smiling lips.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang and James sighed as Juliet pulled back. "I'll get it," she whispered against his lips before sliding from his arms with a light laugh and heading for the front door.

James took a deep breath and turned back to the barbecue utensils he'd been washing in the sink before he'd gotten lost in thought.

From the kitchen he could hear Juliet greet someone, Jin and Sun if his hearing was still working, and smiled a little as he rinsed the tongs.

As soon as he and Juliet were sure they were staying put in this world, their world, indefinitely, they had looked up all the news from the past 3 years (for him) and 6 years (for her) that they could find.

First off, here there was no plane crash.

Second, they had money, passports, social security numbers, credentials and savings.

Third, they were not going to question why this was the way it was; instead, they were going to go with it and be happy.

Once this was established, they agreed a move was in order; they looked at a map and decided to throw a dart. It landed in Connecticut. They packed up their few belongings and bought a car (he was not getting on another plane and she wasn't about to make him) for the drive.

They arrived in New Haven, Connecticut and bought the first house they agreed on, a modest two story. With a backyard and barbecue.

He joined the New Haven Police Department and did well, Juliet proud of him and his NHPD badge. She was quickly employed at the Yale-New Haven Hospital and also worked part time at Yale University in the research department, sometimes teaching the odd class of advanced research students.

Jin and Sun had found them before he and Juliet had even thought about trying to contact anyone from the island.

Here, James was James Ford and Juliet was Juliet Carlson. Jin had a difficult time remembering their actual last names and when he did, it took a while to track them down in New Haven. It had started as a mission to reconnect and ended up with Jin and Sun and their little girl Ji Yeon moving to Hartford, an hour away by car.

"Jim, do you need help with the barbecue?" Jin interrupted James' thoughts and he turned to face the other man with a grin.

"Sure, Jinbo, let's go get the grill all warmed up," with a clap on the back and warm smiles the men were lifting the tongs and spatulas and carrying them through the living room and out the back door to the fenced in yard.

"Oh, she's getting so big," Juliet said with a grin as Ji Yeon reached for her from Sun's arms.

"You have no idea; she told me 'no' and crossed her arms yesterday." Sun replied, handing her daughter off easily. The two women grew close over the last year, connecting instantly when they learned to trust each other.

Now they referred to her and James as 'uncle' and 'aunt'.

James looked up as Juliet came out into the yard talking with Sun, with Ji Yeon on her hip. He felt something tug at him and grinned when she met his eyes.

"Are you going to have a child soon, Jim?" James turned to look at Jin who was trying to light the gas. He still hadn't dropped the habit of calling him 'Jim' and now he just answered to it.

"A baby? Me? Can you say disaster," he brushed it off, but he hadn't been able to get the image of a little baby girl with stunning blue eyes and a dimpled smile out of his head since he saw Juliet with Ji Yeon for the first time a year ago.

"Hello!" A holler came from the front of the house. James rolled his eyes but a grin appeared anyway. Miles had found them next, had actually tracked down Jin and Sun to Hartford a month after they moved. The surprise came when he showed up a week later with a woman named Anna and a duffel bag.

He stayed too, but only for two weeks before moving to Middletown, halfway between James and Juliet, and Jin and Sun. Anna became a permanent fixture. None of them could figure out how he'd found such a wonderful woman so quick who could get over his obvious annoying tendencies.

"Back here Ghostbuster!" James hollered back and Miles came through the wood gate with Anna right behind him with a fruit platter.

"Miles, Anna," Juliet greeted them happily, a crushing hug for Miles just like every time they saw each other, and a gentler one for Anna. Jin and Miles shook hands and caught up and Anna went to coo over Ji Yeon who was chasing a ladybug.

"Need some help?" Juliet suddenly said from around his left shoulder. James blinked and wordlessly moved to the side. Juliet laughed and easily pumped the gas before sparking the fumes. The barbecue rushed to life and James shook his head.

"What would I do without you Blondie?" he dropped a kiss on her forehead.

"Let's hope you never find out," she replied, their scripted and comfortable rhythm.

"You guys hear from Dan? He and Char are 'stuck in traffic'." Miles called from inside the house where he was helping himself to a beer. He came out with three and handed one to Juliet and one to Jin.

Juliet popped the cap on hers and took a sip before handing the bottle to James who did the same.

"Oh, leave them alone Miles, they just got engaged. Let 'em enjoy the glow." Anna spoke up from the patio couch. The conversation flowed easily and steaks and burgers and hot dogs were grilled. Hours later, Daniel and Charlotte showed up, both grinning and blushing as they accepted hugs and food and drinks.

It was dark and Ji Yeon was asleep on her father's lap, Sun rubbing her back soothingly. Anna and Miles were talking with Daniel and Charlotte, cards being laid down and picked up and shuffled.

Juliet leaned against the patio door and watched her friends with a small smile. James came up behind her and slid strong hands over her hips and around her waist to meet over her bellybutton. He smiled against her neck when she sighed and leaned back into him.

"We did good, huh?" he mumbled softly. She nodded with a smile and murmured a 'yes' back.

"You ever think about makin' one of those?" he asked gently. Rachel and Julian were still a sore subject, even after having them show up and be over all the time, a spare room devoted to them. The tear filled reunion the sisters had experienced as soon as Juliet and James were settled in New Haven was still fresh in their minds, mostly because they figured this was an afterlife.

"Maybe," she replied just as gently. She knew about his doubts.

"You know, I never thought about kids, at least not until I heard about Clementine," That meeting was awkward and hard, for all parties involved, but he and Cassidy had agreed to monthly visits.

Cassidy and Clementine would spend a few weeks this coming summer with him and Juliet too.

"You're a great father," Juliet says immediately, squeezing his hands. He squeezed back and kissed her shoulder now.

"I never thought about having a kid," he repeated, "until I saw you with Ji Yeon that first time." he finished. He could see her frown a little and opened his mouth to clarify.

"I never thought about kids, just about how I'd screw 'em up, but now, here with you in our home with our friends and family? I want a kid with you. With blue eyes and dimple and blonde curls,"

Juliet chuckled. "I don't think you get to choose what they look like," she replied.

It wasn't a no, but it wasn't a yes either.

"So, what do you think?" he asked.

"I never thought about kids either," she said quietly back.

He stayed quiet until she spoke again.

"Not until you. Only you." she said, turning in his arms like he had earlier that day. "You're the only one,"

"You're my only one too," he said back, pressing a kiss to her nose lightly. She smiled.

"One and done?"

"One and done. I hope that means one person and done and not one kid and done, because once you say yes," he trailed off with a smirk. She laughed loudly and James enjoyed the sound thoroughly.

Miles and Jin looked up at the couple and then at each other, exchanging knowing glances.

They saw James reach into his pocket and grinned as he held her hand and led her inside.

They knew what was in their friend's pocket (they'd been with him to pick out the ring) and they knew Juliet would soon be out here with the beautiful band on her finger and tears in her eyes.

James had told them a while ago (years and years if you counted the 70's time warp) about his plans to propose. So it wasn't Christmas in Dharmaville and there weren't carols on the speakers and there was no string of twinkling lights and no mistletoe: they knew she'd still say yes.

Of COURSE she's going to say yes :D

Also, points to whoever can see the blatant Castle reference (that show i may just be obsessed with...)

one more!

reviews are love!