"Now boarding Oceanic flight 815…"
Jack listened to the call over the intercom before picking up his bag to head towards the terminal. As he walked, he saw Hurley rushing in front of him to get on the plane. Why is Hurley going to Australia? He wondered.
Jack continued his slow walk towards the terminal where he saw people shuffling past the boarding gate at through the little tunnel. He saw a couple of kids that looked like Boone and Shannon and smiled. He wondered what all the guys he graduated with were going to do. He approached the gate and saw a girl standing there, watching him. It took him a few minutes to realize it was Kate.
He stopped a few feet in front of her.
"What are you doing here?"
"I've missed you so much." She said.
"We just saw each other at graduation."
She shook her head and closed the gap between them. "I just…"
Before he knew what she was doing, she reached up with both hands and kissed him. When her lips touched his, Jack's mind spun as he saw them kissing before. Not at prom, not after graduation, but on an island, in the jungle. It was the same feeling he had when he saw himself with Locke. He realized they were also in a jungle.
He pulled away and raised his hands, "What is going on?"
Kate bit her lip, "You don't remember?"
"Remember what?"
Kate looked past Jack and shook her head, "I'll see you on the plane."
Jack watched her turn to leave before realizing she had been watching someone behind him. Turning, he saw Christian standing in front of him.
"Dad?"
"Hey kiddo."
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to say goodbye." Christian held out his arms. "And tell you how proud I really am of you."
Confused, and feeling like something was wrong, Jack moved into his father's embrace. Those were the words he had waited a lifetime to hear. As soon as he did, his mind flashed back like it had before. He saw himself jumping over wreckage, helping Claire and Rose, watching Boone die, fighting with Locke and Sawyer. Most of all though, he saw Kate, his Kate, as they kissed in the jungle, fought in LA and told each other goodbye. He saw his life on the island and the people he came to know and those he had lost. He understood the meaning of Jacob's job and the realization of what his destiny really was. Finally, he remembered it all.
Exhaling, he stepped away from his father's arm.
"I don't understand. You," he paused, "you died?"
Christian smiled. "Yes, I did."
"But," he connected the thoughts, "I died too."
Christian nodded.
Jack couldn't stop the tears from coming as he recalled the life he had before and all the people it contained.
"Where are we dad? Am I going back?"
"No," Christian said, stepping closer. "You needed to be together to help one another let go and move on."
"On the plane? Where is it going?"
"Why don't you go find out?"
Jack rushed forward and gave his dad another hug, "I love you, dad."
His dad wrapped his arms around him. By this point, both of them were crying realizing that last time they hadn't had a chance to say good bye. "I love you too, son."
Pulling away, Jack began walking towards the terminal. The flight attendant was waiting with a smile on her face. Jack pulled out a ticket and held it to her. She scanned it and handed it back. Turning one last time, Jack saw his dad standing there with a smile and raised hand. Jack waved once before walking onto the plane.
Lapidus was standing by the cockpit with a smile on his face as he entered.
"We've been waiting for ya," he said with a smile as he moved his hand toward the aisle.
Jack laughed as he walked through the aisle. He passed Sayid and Shannon who smiled at him. Hurley was sitting next to Libby, but he jumped up and reached out to hug him as he passed. Sun and Jin were sitting down as he walked and they smiled. Continuing his walk, he nodded to Desmond, sitting next to Penny. Turning to his right, he moved by Charlie who was craned over Claire to look at little baby Aaron. Moving down the aisle, he stopped when Locke caught his eye and reached up with a hand. They shook quickly before Jack kept moving. Sawyer and Juliet gave him a quick smile before he reached his seat. It was right next to Kate.
She reached out and took his hand as he sat down next to the window. Everyone had their window covers pulled up. He buckled his seat belt as the plane began to move backwards down the runway. There was laughter and talk among all the passengers, but also a nervous excitement of what was to come.
Jack remembered those last few moments on the island, looking up into the sky and seeing the plane fly above him.
The engine roared to life under them and the plane began accelerating down the runway. There was a jolt of gravity as the plane lifted into the air. Looking down, the city below him began shrinking as they began to fly over the water. Jack settled into his seat and saw the sun flood the cabin of the plane. Everyone began looking at the sheer brightness of the light in awe. Kate's grip tightened on Jack's as she leaned into him. Feeling the sunshine on his face and the roar of the engines below them, Jack's eyes slowly closed.
LOST
