Alice woke up in blissfulness and heat. She actually moaned in pleasure at the sensations of soft bed underneath her and a hot, naked and very aroused body pressing into her back. Jack's arms were around her, holding her close to him, his breath on the back of her neck. She felt perfectly happy in this moment and she actually decided that crashing on the island was the best thing that could've happened to her after her parents' and Annie's death. She'd though she would never find peace of mind or any kind of happiness again and here she was, with the man she loved more than anything. They survived and they were together and for now, it was all that mattered.

She shifted, grazing her butt against Jack's erection, then heard him groan and finally say in a muffled voice, "God, please, don't move."

"And why is that?" she asked, giggling as she turned around and looked at him.

"Because I'll just lose it."

"You're very needy," she told him when cupping his face and gently running her fingers through his scratchy by now cheeks.

"Well, it's been a long time."

"Mhm..." she uttered when pressing her lips against him and kissing him deeply. "Good morning," she said when she pulled away and looked into his glazy eyes.

"The best," Jack whispered and then Alice decided to straddle him. "Oh! Are you ready?" he made sure, surprised that she jumped him so fast.

"Always," she answered before lowering herself down and capturing his lips again, her hand in the same time wondered to his groin and guided him inside.

"Definitely the best," Jack repeated and she agreed as she rocked against him and kept on kissing him.


"Oh my God, I missed this so much," Alice said in blissfulness. "How long it's been? Over one hundred days for sure," she decided.

"It's been longer for me," Jack said, running a path down her arm with a sponge. "Or... pretty much never."

"You've never had a bubble bath?!" She was so surprised that she turned around, splashing the water over the tub and onto the floor. "Seriously?!"

"No, of course I have," he protested. "It's just... I've never taken one with a woman," he admitted when touching her face. "Maybe I should have. It's pleasant. Although I can't imagine actually having sex in here. It's slippery and the whole bathroom would be flooded."

Alice playfully swatted him upside the head.

"What did I say?"

"You only think about one thing!" she scolded him. "I'm a human being, you know, not just a sex machine!"

He laughed soundly and she really enjoyed that since they'd very rarely laughed like this on the island. There had always been a shadow ahead of them, a problem to solve or something to worry about. Now they were free. And it felt amazing.

"I know that. I'm sorry," he said, his voice actually growing serious.

"Apologizes accepted as long as you truly love me for more than just my body."

"Are you kidding me? How many times have I told you that?"

"You have to do this at least one more," she teased and finally heaved herself up and got out of the tub, placing a towel around herself. "And I'm actually glad I'm the first at something, even if that happens to be a bubble bath." She winked at him. "Breakfast? I'm starving!"

"Breakfast and coffee. Lots of coffee!" Jack agreed, following her example and then grabbing her hips and swirling her around so he could kiss her again. She giggled as he did so.

"But no cereal! I want real, fried pancakes."

"Then we're making pancakes," he agreed.

"And then... I guess I'll have to go shopping for some clothes," she decided, realizing that there really wasn't much she could put on.

"Then go. I need to run to the hospital anyway. I want my job back."

"And just like that, we're back to a normal life," she said.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Of course not! I can't wait to go and see my bookshop! There's going to be so much work to do there!"

"But once the day is over, we'll get to get back home to each other and spend the evening together and then there'll be weekends," Jack said when kissing her again. He couldn't seem to get enough of her as now once again there were no boundaries between them. "Well, provided I won't be on call."

"I've never actually considered that dating a doctor could be this hard," Alice realized with a frown. "They always put it in such a bright light!"

"Are you backing out now?"

"Never! I'm too much in love with you!"


Days flew by fast, maybe even too fast for Alice's taste, but anything was better than grieving after her family or being stuck on the island and not knowing whether she'd survive the next day. At least she was happy. In fact, she'd never been happier and decided to cherish every single moment. She got her bookshop back and was working on it before its second opening. She hoped she would succeed, considered that people didn't buy many books those days as they didn't even have the time to read, and even if – they'd go online and buy an e-book. Still, Alice's place was

somehow special and she'd used to be so proud of it. She had the gift of getting the most rare books and oldest editions. She'd had quite a clientele before she'd gone to Australia and she was looking forward to seeing some of them come back. She'd even met with a few as they'd come by to tell her how happy they were she was alive and back and how sorry they were for everything that happened to her. They also mentioned they'd be back once she opened since they missed the atmosphere and magic of her shop.

Jack got his job back – after all he was a hero who'd survived impossible conditions and helped a lot of people back on the island. Together, they were doing just fine. Great, even. Jack was careful as not to become the workaholic he'd once been and because of which he'd lost Sara. He claimed that the marriage would've ended anyway sooner or later, but it'd had so fast because of him putting his work first, so he tried very hard not to do that and Alice was proud of him.

They both took a day off now since the memorial service for Christian Shephard was to finally happen. There was no body, but Jack needed this closure, he finally needed to attend his father's funeral. His mother had agreed since she'd been grieving the loss of her son and husband so much that she hadn't even been able to attend any events in their memory. How she survived on her own with no family left, that was a mystery to Jack, but he was grateful that she had. She'd received help from her best friend, but beside her, Jack only had one living relative and it was his grandfather, the father of Christian. Unfortunately, he was in the home as he had trouble with his

mind.

"Are you all right?" Alice asked with care in her voice when Jack finally emerged from the bedroom, dressed in a black suit. It'd taken him more time to get ready than her and that only meant one thing.

He just nodded and cleared his throat before he said that he was fine and they could go. Alice's expression softened and she walked over to him and took his hand anyway, running her fingers over his skin. "I'm here for you," she just said and he nodded again, sending her something resembling a grateful smile.

"Let's go," he just said.


It was hard for Jack to finally give an eulogy at his father's official funeral, Alice could tell. Maybe everyone could since Jack was pretty emotional and his voice wavered a few times, but he got through it all right. And once he did, Alice could see the relief in him, the change. He finally let go of someone who'd been there, in the back of his mind for a very long time now. Maybe it was also the time to let go of the blame. It was obvious that it wasn't Jack's fault that his father drunk himself to death, but the son still thought that if only he'd gotten to Australia sooner, if only he'd listened to his mother sooner or maybe if only he'd reached a hand to his father when Christian

had been fired, things could've been different. That kind of thinking was pointless now since nothing would ever bring the dead ones back and they needed to move on and find happiness again without them. Alice still remembered the look on Jack's mother's face once he told her about the connection he and Alice shared even before the island. Mrs. Shephard started crying and then hugged Alice so tightly that she cried as well because the hug reminded her of actually having a mother.

Alice pushed all those unwelcomed thoughts away and once the service was over, she took Jack's hand and they were ready to leave the church. She spotted Kate with Aaron by the door and was happy to see her friend and the little boy. After all, they hadn't seen each other since the day they'd parted after the Oceanic conference.

Only once they made their way to Kate, a blonde older woman stopped them.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Shephard... can I speak with you for a moment?" she asked.

"Of course," Jack agreed, intrigued.

"Could we do it in private, please?" the woman prompted and Jack looked at Alice.

"Whatever you're here to say, you can say in front of my girlfriend," he turned back to the woman and said in a polite but confident voice.

"That's right, you were in the plane crash, too," the woman turned to Alice. "I'm so sorry for everything you two have been through."

"Excuse me, but... who are you, exactly?" Alice wanted to know. After all, the last thing Jack needed was being bothered by some pretend-to-sympathetic stranger right after his father's funeral.

"I'm Carole Littleton," the woman finally introduced herself. "My daughter died in the crash."

"Oh... I'm so sorry, Mrs. Littleton," Alice quickly said.

"Mrs. Littleton, I am very sorry, too, but I don't understand what you're doing here," Jack admitted, pretty confused to what this woman wanted with him.

"Because it was my daughter that your father came to Australia to see," Carole answered and caused both Jack's and Alice's minds to spin.

"What?"

"Your father had a daughter."

"No, my father didn't have a daughter," Jack protested, but the look in the woman's eyes was actually enough to put those surety to doubt. How much did he really know about Christian Shephard? How many secrets did his father have?

"Oh, he did," Carole confirmed. "If you don't believe, please, feel free to check his phone records. I just... I need to tell you this. The strangest thing, Mr. Shephard, is that she was on the same plane. For a few hours, you might've been even seating close to each other, not even realizing the truth."

Alice felt sick and it had nothing to do with her island's gift, that one was long gone, but she still felt her sixth sense working on overload. Could it be... could it be possible that this daughter of Mrs. Littleton wasn't actually dead? It was one thing to let the families of the people they left behind think their children, brothers, sisters were dead, but to come with such a relative face to face...

"Her name was Claire," Carole then revealed and Alice's hand squeezed Jack's. She could sense that he was thrown off track, but did his best not to show it, because right there, a few feet away from Mrs. Littleton was Aaron, her grandson. And she had no idea. She couldn't have. Not ever. Wasn't that the cruelest thing they'd ever done? Alice wondered. Maybe Hugo was right, maybe they shouldn't have lied. Only then again, the island would be found by Widmore and even if he didn't kill all their friends, he would explore the place and it didn't take a genius to figure out that despite all the horror they'd been through there, it was, indeed, special.

After a few seconds that seemed like a whole eternity, Carole finally left, telling Kate on her way out that she had a beautiful baby boy. Yes, Alice definitely felt sick now.

"What happened?" Kate asked when coming over and seeing the look on both Alice's and Jack's faces.

"That was..." Jack started, but stopped, still in shock. "That was Claire's mother."

"What?" Kate paled. "Does she... does she know?" She looked back, but the woman was already gone.

"No, she doesn't," Alice calmed Kate down. "She was here to... may I?" she made sure she could tell Kate everything and Jack just nodded, trying to put himself back together. And they'd thought the actual funeral would be hard on them that day. "Claire was Jack's half sister and they never knew."

Kate's eyes opened widely and she looked at Aaron and then back at Jack.

"But this means... this means..."

"That Jack is Aaron's uncle."


During the next few days Jack and Alice didn't really talk about what happened. They'd decided with Kate right after she'd found about Claire's mother that they wouldn't tell her the truth. It was about the hardest decision Alice had ever had to make, but they had no choice even if it worn them down. Actually, it was Kate's decision since she was taking care of Aaron; so once another week passed by, Alice didn't feel so guilty anymore, instead she kept busy. She was working on her bookshop as the opening was happening pretty soon and she also visited her doctor to get better birth control than condoms (they both with Jack were sick of them anyway) while Jack was working at the hospital and doing his best to spend a good amount of his time with her. They just didn't talk about Carole Littleton because there was no point in doing so.

There was one thing Alice needed to do though and that was getting a gun license. Theoretically, they were in no danger, but some things one just couldn't get over no matter how hard they tried. She needed to feel safe and even if being with Jack did that, but she knew it was just an illusion. If someone wanted to hurt them, if someone knew the truth about the island and what they'd done and wanted to get to them, they would. That was why she needed to continue her lessons. Jack had started teaching her how to use a gun on the island, but that wasn't enough. Besides, she

needed to take lessons to actually get the permit for carrying one.

"Why are you doing this?" Jack asked when he found out. He wasn't mad, he just wanted to understand her. "We're safe. There's no danger anymore. I promise you," he added and took her into his arms, raveling in the feel of her fitting perfectly under his chin. He liked that she was smaller and she liked that he was so tall. They fitted together.

"I just don't want to feel helpless ever again, Jack," she answered him and pulled away, so she could look into his eyes. "Can you understand that? Too many bad things has already happened to me and I decided to make my own luck. I know that having a gun can't prevent an accident, but at least I can feel safe. I need to be strong after all the weakness I showed you on the island. I need to protect myself. Just because we're home, doesn't mean that bad things will stop happening to us.

Actually, it's more likely they'll happen in the city."

Jack smiled to her sadly and brushed her cheek with his hand. "I don't mind you taking the class," he finally said. "Do whatever makes you feel safe and happy. I'm here for you. And you shouldn't be ashamed of your weakness back on the island. It's what convinced me that deep inside, we may actually be very alike."

"I don't think you've ever been weak, Jack," she admitted.

"Maybe you don't, but I do." He pulled her to his chest again, his arms around her as though he wanted to shield her from all the evil she thought may wait out there for her, but he knew better than that. He knew he couldn't protect her and she wouldn't even want him to be her knight in a shining armor. She wanted to be strong all on her own and that was just another thing he loved about her. She didn't need him in her life so he could protect her, she did that all by herself, she needed him to just love her and that was exactly what he was doing.


After the grand reopening of Alice's bookshop, Jack prepared something special for her and he took her away for the rest of the weekend. It was supposed to be romantic, but they were also in a need for some retreat. Kate was pending trial on which they both planned on giving their testimonies – lies, of course. In Jack's opinion this weekend was long overdue since they needed a getaway from their real lives and real problems, a getaway that had nothing to do with being stranded on a strange island, that was.

He booked an apartment, but they didn't stay there for long once they got there since they had a reservation in the best restaurant in town. Alice thought it was all to celebrate the successful reopening of her bookshop – and it was successful. She actually had tears in her eyes when she saw all those people coming in and she really hoped they didn't do that just because they wanted to see her as she was now quite famous, but she also recognized a lot of her old clientele and that calmed her down. Yet, Jack's reason for taking her somewhere had nothing to do with her career as she would soon find out.

"You smell so good and you shaved for a change!" Alice paid him a few compliments. Yes, they were unusually clean and fresh once they got out of the island and Jack could also shave now every day, but he not always had the time for it when being a doctor which left him with a stubble on his face. A stubble that even though looked very hot to Alice, scratched the hell out of her skin.

"You, too, and will you ever let that shaving thing go?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Nope. If you were me, you'd see how painful it is sometimes."

"Well, no one tells you to kiss me all the time," he joked and pulled up a chair for her and then sat on the opposite side of the intimate table he booked for that night.

"What can I say? You're irresistible, Jack." She wined at him, being so happy and giddy that it went to her head and she felt like she didn't even need the wine.

"Oh, so are you."

They enjoyed their getaway and the dinner and then Jack pulled her to the dance floor for a slow dance. She loved to feel his hands on her body, guiding her, leading the dance; to smell the cologne on his neck and to hear his heart beating so close to hers. She truly felt like she was in heaven and she was never more in love than those times. All their problems, Kate's trial, meeting Claire's mother, leaving their friends behind, Hurley checking into psychiatric hospital, all of that flew away from their heads in moments like these. Moments so fleeting, yet so precious.

"You look gorgeous in this dress," Jack whispered into her ear, causing her whole body to shiver.

"You should see what I'm wearing underneath," she teased him, noticing with satisfaction that his breathing sped up.

"Well, what do you say we'll finally go back to our room, then?"

"I thought you'd never ask," she joked.

A few minutes later, they left the restaurant and decided to talk a walk back to their hotel. The night wasn't cold at all and it was nice to get some fresh air. Little did Alice know that Jack had a hidden agenda in suggesting not taking a car. Once they took a walk through a park and didn't see anyone near them, he stopped and she looked up at him, surprised to see him standing in her way and reaching to his pocket.

"Jack? What are you doing?" she asked, not understanding his behavior. At least until he suddenly got on one knee, that was, and until he showed her what was in the small box he took out of that pocket.

"I'm not sure of many things in my life, Alice," he started when looking up at her with tears in his eyes and soon enough, she had them in hers, too. "But I am sure of you, of us. I am certain that I love you and that I never want us to be apart. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" he then asked and she gasped, suddenly speechless.

Only then she thought that he was waiting for her answer and he was still kneeling, so she swallowed and in a hoarse voice said, "Yes. Yes, of course I will!" After the first word, the rest flooded from her mouth like a stream and she was rewarded with a bright, happy smile appearing on Jack's face.

He stood up and before he managed to put the ring on her finger, before she actually took a closer look at it since she was too busy looking at her now fiancé, she raised on her toes, put her arms around his neck and kissed him with all her might, showing him how happy and how much in love she was. She was drinking him in, her senses being invaded with all that was his: his smell, his strong body next to hers, his heat, his mouth and his breath... And when they pulled away, they both needed a moment to catch some air.

Finally, she looked down, seeing the most perfect and beautiful ring she'd ever seen. Not that it was big or intricate. It was simple with one diamond, but she loved it because it hit the bull's eyes with what she would like to have as a engagement ring. She was actually touched that Jack knew her so well and bought exactly this ring. He could afford more, but he got her exactly what she was dreaming of. Even the surrounding was perfect since as they were known as ones of the famous Oceanic Seven, engagement in public restaurant would only end with their pictures in the

papers. Jack clearly thought of everything.

"I love you so much," she said when he slid the small beauty on her finger.

"And I love you," he responded and kissed her again, this time softly, gently, nearly caressing her lips with his, showing her how much he meant what he said, cherishing her and this moment with her.

Next thing they knew, they were at their apartment in the hotel and resumed their kissing, then slowly got rid of their clothes and Jack finally had the chance to see the black lacy lingerie Alice wore that day just for him. And he appreciated her body slowly when taking it off, nearly driving her crazy until he finally had naked and entered her slowly. They needed to make this night meaningful, they didn't feel like going fast or doing anything out of the ordinary, they were just slowly making love to each other when looking into each other's eyes. And this way they reached their completion.


Kate's trail was like an unpleasant comeback to reality. Barely did they get home, they had to figure out what to say in court and make sure both their stories matched. Jack didn't really have any problems with lying about what had happened on the island since he was the one who'd done most of the talking during the conference, but Alice was another story. Yet, with his help and patience, she perfected her speech, so it didn't seem like she was actually thinking hard on what she was going to say, she just did it as it was the most natural thing in the world, as though it was all true.

"Did you know about miss Austen's criminal past once you met her?" the question was directed towards Jack.

Alice had already testified as they asked if she could go first. If she made a mistake anywhere, Jack could adjust it into his speech, but they knew it wouldn't be so easy the other way around.

"Yes, she mentioned it," Jack admitted.

"What did you think?"

"Honestly? I thought it must've been some kind of a mistake."

"And why is that, Mr. Shephard?"

Alice got nervous. Hadn't they asked her a very similar question already? They really were working hard to catch them on even the smallest mistake.

"Miss Austen was the one who saved us all. She took us out of the water and gave us the first aid. I was unconscious at the time, so I couldn't do anything."

"Mhmmm..." the lawyer murmured. "Mr. Shephard, what is your relation with miss Austen?"

"Excuse me?" Jack seemed surprised and not only he. Alice opened her eyes widely, too.

"Are you two involved somehow? Maybe you were involved."

"No. We were never involved. In fact, back on the island I entered a relationship with my present fiancée, miss Stevens."

Kate's lawyer hadn't been fooling around when he'd warned them about the trial. It seemed incomprehensible that the prosecutor could ever think that Jack's relationship with Alice was a sham to cover up his real relationship with Kate. Alice wasn't sure he and Kate would've even figured up something so complicated if they'd really been together.

Finally, Jack was free and he joined Alice on the bench with relief, immediately taking her hand.

They were all even more relieved when Kate's mother actually refused to testify and without her, Kate had a very small chance of being found guilty. She actually signed an agreement with the

prosecutor that she wouldn't leave the state and agreed to a period of probation. Just like that it was all over and Alice could finally ask Kate to be her maid of honor. She and Jack were planning to get married right away, after all.


"...and I promise you to always be there for you, to never leave you. I will always be who and what you'll need. I will be your love, your best friend, your partner in life and your reason to live." Jack truly didn't know where those words had come from when he'd once again been trying to write his vows. This time it'd gone smoothly and he'd said exactly what he wanted to say to Alice, what he wanted to promise her and what she should hear. Maybe it was a proof that he never should've married Sara, but what was done was done. He could only be happy that he'd finally found the right woman, the one for him.

They got married in a small but cozy chapel that seemed to be just right for them. Someone had suggested that they should get marry on the beach, but they'd quickly abandoned that idea, having had enough of sand and water for a whole lifetime.

They weren't many people present, just the closest ones, but it was enough for them. Jack's mother and grandfather were there and Kate with Aaron. Sun was in Korea, now controlling her father's company and she couldn't come that week, Hugo was still in a psychiatric hospital and Sayid was somewhere, travelling with Nadia.

As they finished their vows and sealed their relationship with a kiss, Jack thought of another gift he wanted to give his now wife. He was going to tell her that he was ready to try and become a father. Their family was very small even with his mother and Kate with his nephew in it, so maybe they could have that child Alice always wanted. She didn't say anything and she was perfectly fine with him not wanting to rush things too much for which he loved her even more, but he figured he was finally ready. She made him believe that he could love and raise their child and be a good father, too.