A/N: Sorry for the long delay, I hope this chapter brings you as much joy as the events brought the characters. Enjoy!

Chapter 37: Family Extensions

Jack held Kate's hand tightly as the family and friends of his mother made their way through the house. It had been Margot's wish to have her funeral and wake at her home. The parlor had been set up with flowers and black fabric. Margot's coffin was in the middle of the room, twenty chairs around it. Jack stood by the door to the parlor shaking the hands of relatives as they expressed their sympathy.

"Jack," said Aunt Lorraine making her way through the line, "Go take a break."

Jack looked down at his aunt who was wearing a black suit and a black hat and short veil covering her eyes. Jack was absolutely exhausted, he was so emotional drained that the last two days just seemed like a really bad dream.

Jack nodded and he and Kate walked away from the line of people, up the stairs and into the room that they had been staying in. Jack sat down on the bed as Kate went over the three cribs where the babies where sleeping. She covered Hannah with a pink blanket and went over and sat down next to Jack.

"Why don't you stay up here," said Kate taking his hand again, "Lorraine and I can handle everything for you."

"Okay," said Jack breathing out deeply. He laid back on the bed closing his eyes. Kate laid on her side next to him; she ran her finger down his cheek stopping the tear. Kate leaned close to him and whispered in his ear.

"I love you."

Kate got off the bed and walked out of the room and into the hallway. She ran her hands down the front of her black skirt. She was dressed pretty casually, a black shirt and cardigan sweater, a black shirt that went down to her mid-calf, and a pair of black boots that went an inch pass where the skirt ended. She was halfway down the hallway when someone said her name behind her.

Kate turned around and found Jack walking after her; she waited for him on the third step. Jack stopped when he was standing with her on the step. He bent down and kissed her gently.

"I love you too."

Before Kate could reply Jack was walking down the stairs, shaking hands and hugging all his relatives. The relatives acted differently around Kate now, they all seemed more accepting now. Kate stood there on the stair for a few more minutes until Jack turned around and looked at her for a brief second. He smiled at her and she smiled back. Kate was finally sure that Jack would be able to move on from this…

Shannon struggled as she tried to open the door to the Shepard's house. She was carrying Laura and two suitcases, Sawyer rushed up behind her and helped her opened the door. They pushed open the door and dropped the suitcases on the floor. Shannon walked into the living room and put Laura into the playpen. She turned around to find Sawyer leaning in the door way, his face tan, he was wearing an open Hawaiian shirt, Shannon walked over to him (where a dress in the same Hawaiian material), she kissed deeply. Sawyer broke apart from her and smiled.

"I'm hungry," said Sawyer turning around so he could walk towards the kitchen.

Shannon laughed at him and then went back into the living room and picked up Laura who was beginning to cry. She rested the baby on her shoulder and began to pat her softly. She continued to cry until Sawyer walked into the room.

"Do you want to order a pizza," asked Sawyer sticking his head in the room. Laura stopped crying… What was with Sawyer and babies? Shannon walked towards him and put his new daughter into his arms. He held her with one arm as Shannon picked up the nearest book and put it in his other hand.

"Read this too her," said Shannon.

Sawyer looked down at the book; it was one of Jack's doctor books, The Most Common Diseases and Infections. Sawyer opened the book and looked down disgusted. He had opened to a chapter which talked about sexually transmitted diseases. The book had lots of pictures.

"I'm not reading this too her," he said handing the book back to Shannon.

"Fine," said Shannon still laughing, "Read her one of my parenting magazines."

"No," said Sawyer, "Then she will know about everything that we are doing wrong, schedules, Mommy and Me time, you know all that jazz. She'll figure out that I don't have a clue at parenting."

"Don't worry," replied Shannon giving him another kiss, "You're doing fine."

Kate walked into the house after their long plane ride back home. It was about six and everyone was starving, including the kids, who had let them know by the tantrums they had been throwing for the last hour. As they closed the door behind them Sawyer came up the stairs from the basement. He and Jack shook hands and a quick "man-hug"; Kate gave him a hug and looked around for Shannon.

"Where's Shannon?" asked Kate.

"Upstairs I think," replied Sawyer smiling.

"Okay," said Kate handing Hannah to Jack who took all three kids into the kitchen and got them ready for dinner. Sawyer went in the kitchen as Kate made her way up the stairs. Half-way up Kate could hear a weird sound coming from the hallway, suddenly she found Shannon standing in the linen closet all the sheets and towels all over the floor.

"Whatcha looking for?" asked Kate smiling.

"Hey," replied Shannon walking through the sheets to give Kate a hug. "When did you get back?"

"About five minutes ago," replied Kate beginning to pick up all the sheets, "What are you looking for?"

"Nothing," lied Shannon beginning to pick up the sheets, she took the ones out of Kate's arms and shoved them messily back into the closet.

"Don't lie," said Kate laughing, "Just tell me."

"Okay," said Shannon looking around the hallway, "Come here."

She pulled Kate into the room that Sawyer had once occupied. She locked the door behind her and whispered.

"A pregnancy test."

"What?" asked Kate surprised, "You're pregnant?"

"I think I might be," replied Shannon giving her a nervous smile.

"Sawyer is going to die," replied Kate smiling.

"I know," replied Shannon. "So?"

"OH!" replied Kate laughing again, "In my bathroom, medicine cabinet."

"Okay," said Shannon unlocking the door "Thanks."

"No problem," replied Kate as Shannon walked towards Kate and Jack's room. Kate went downstairs grabbed her and Jack's bags and went upstairs to her room. She threw the suitcases on the bed and began to sort the dirty clothes from the clean. Five minutes later Shannon walked out of the bathroom holding the test.

"How do you tell," said Shannon looking down at it worried.

"It's a digital read-out, Shannon," replied Kate, "It'll either say 'pregnant' or 'not pregnant'. Give it a minute."

Shannon sat down in the chair by the bed as Kate began to put the clean clothes into the dresser.

"Oh my God" said Shannon, "Oh…my…God."

"What?" asked Kate.

Shannon looked up at Kate beaming from ear to ear.

"Sawyer?"

"Huh?"

"Wake-up."

"I don't wanna."

"Sawyer, we really need to talk," replied Shannon. It was about ten o'clock and Sawyer had gone to bed, his head was now under the pillow. Shannon sat next to him and tried to shake him.

"What do want a divorce already?" asked Sawyer sleepily.

"No," said Shannon smiling, "Something's happened."

"The house isn't on fire again is it?" asked Sawyer lifted the pillow up so he could look around the room, just to make sure it wasn't engulfed in flames.

"No," replied Shannon again, "Something really great has happened."

"Oh, are we getting out of here?" asked Sawyer.

"No," said Shannon, "We're expecting."

"You do realize that we aren't going to get anything till this afternoon," said Sawyer. "The mail man doesn't come till around 3."

"No, I mean the stork is coming," said Shannon blushing.

"Don't tell me you ordered a stork," said Sawyer. "I mean, where can you get those around here?"

"No, Sawyer, we're not getting a stork. There's going to be another member of the family coming soon," said Shannon.

"Oh, is Jack's aunt coming to live with us?" asked Sawyer.

"Not that I know of Sawyer," said Shannon, becoming exasperated. "We are going to expect a little member of the family in around seven months."

"Is Kate pregnant again?" asked Sawyer, "I sware they are going to have to buy another house...some sort of mansion."

"She's not pregnant," said Shannon running her fingers through her mid-back length hair, "I am."

"What?" asked Sawyer sitting up very quickly, "What did you say?"

"I'm pregnant," repeated Shannon shrugging.

"Are you sure?" asked Sawyer taking a deep breath.

"Pretty sure," replied Shannon.

"Wow," replied Sawyer.

"Are you happy?" asked Shannon.

"Yes," said Sawyer shaking his head, "Yes! This is great."

Shannon let out a quick breath of relief. Sawyer wrapped his arms around Shannon kissed her deeply. They broke apart and Sawyer let out a quick laugh, he could believe that he was going to be a dad…again.

"Hey Kate," said Shannon sitting next to her on the couch in the living room.

"Hey," said Kate as the house shook. Jack and Sawyer were downstairs watching the soccer game on the big screen television. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to tell you that Sawyer and I will begin looking for our own house on Monday," said Shannon very quickly.

"What?" asked Kate looking up, "Oh, well you know we aren't exactly kicking you out."

"I know," said Shannon, "But since we're married now, with Laura, and another one on the way, we should probably get out on place."

"I guess so," said Kate sadly, "But the house is going to be so quiet."

"Yeah," said Shannon, "I've been staying with you guys for more then a year…eighteen months I think."

"You know," said Kate, "I really like having you guys here. It'll be really weird without you all around."

"Yeah," said Shannon looking down at her hands.

"Maybe," said Kate, "You guys wouldn't have to move out. I mean we have acres of land behind us. You and Sawyer could build a house behind ours."

"That would be so great," said Shannon smiling brightly.

"Let's see," said Kate grabbing a piece of paper of the coffee table. She drew her house and then a path that would be about 20 yards long, and then the Marshall's house. They wouldn't have to do any demolition. They could make the house go diagonally behind them so both houses could get the ocean view. Shannon and Kate spent the next hour planning out the new house, the floor plan, paint colors, everything.

"What are you guys doin'?" asked Sawyer walking upstairs in a jersey and face paint. Kate and Shannon were sitting on the floor, papers all over the coffee table.

"What would you think about building a house right behind this one?" asked Shannon.

"What?" asked Sawyer as Jack came up the stairs behind him adorning the same jersey and face paint.

"Building a house behind ours?" repeated Jack, "That's a great idea."

Everyone looked at him in shock, Kate would be sure that he would be a little nervous about the idea, but since he and Sawyer had become such good friends, the situation would be perfect.

Kate jumped up to give Jack a kiss but stopped when she realized that his whole face was blue and white. Jack laughed and gave her a kiss, Kate squirmed away from his now with a blue and white kiss mark on her cheek. She went to wipe it away but the doorbell rang. Kate ran to the door and opened it laughing.

"Hello dudes. I am your new neighbor!"

"Hurley!" exclaimed Kate, "What are you doing here?"

"I bought the house next door," said Hurley handing them a plate of cookies that he had made. "I asked myself when I got back to L.A. 'Dude why would you want to live so far away from all of your best friends?' and so here I am."

"Hurley," laughed Jack, "Dude."

"DUDE!" exclaimed Hurley picked Kate up in a hug. He swung her around; he put her down and then gave Sawyer a hug, followed by Jack and Shannon. Hurley's Mom had died a year ago and he had no family expect his brother Diego, so he decided in the end to move to Australia. The house he had bought was actually about a block away and almost exactly like the one Jack and Kate had bought, a classic Victorian.

Hurley walked over to the door and closed it behind him, he turned around and looked at all his friends standing in the sunlit hall. "Dudes, I'm back!"

To be continued….