Disclaimer: Don't own anything related to the show.

Note: This is my first attempt at writing a story for Northern Exposure, so I hope it's a good read.

(Takes place a decade after finale)

New York City

Local time-evening

Joel was tired, as he and his kids were trick-or-treating for several hours and were finally on their way home, as his wife, Ira, had the flu, so he was the only chaperone for two kids but he surprisingly wasn't bothered by it, as he had found that Halloween was more fun he remembered than he was kid, though he still felt some discomfort with the holiday.

He smiled as he and his kids got home and saw his wife sleeping on the couch with the tv on and he looked to see that it was 8:30, so he decided to let her be for a few minutes while he got the kids to bed before he would wake her up.

After making sure Mikayla and Hanson were put to bed, he woke up Ira and slowly guided her back to bed, noting she seemed to have improved since this morning, much to his relief, as his bedside manner is not always the best, though Ira hasn't complained much about it.

The next thing he knew he was in some kind of wooden building, which looked familiar, much to his chagrin. He may have left Alaska, but it seems that it never left him.

The door opened and a familiar looking woman came up to him and he felt apprehensive seeing her again.

"Hey, O'Connell, how have you been doing?" Joel asked after a few seconds of silence, as he wasn't sure what to say to her.

"I'm doing well, what about you, Fleischman?" She said, feeling the same.

"Great, I just came back from trick-r-treating with the kids." He said, wondering if that would even interest her at all.

"That sounds nice, same with me, though I am taking a nap right now before I take Laura out while the festivities are going on in Cicely." Maggie said

"How is everyone?" Joel asked, as he hadn't seen anyone since Ruth-Anne's funeral six years ago, as he felt that he had to go to it and it was actually nice seeing everyone.

"Chris's show has gone national, though I suspect you have heard about it by now." She said with a knowing smile.

"Sure, it's really good." Joel said smiling, as he had just heard Chris this morning.

"Holling and Shelly and their family are doing good and Maurice is still making business deals, even when he shouldn't." She said, trying not to laugh

"Is Ed working on his next movie?" Joel asked, as he had watched one his films that he really liked

"Yeah, he said he was working on something that deals with historical fiction, last time I saw him." She said with her smile bigger

"He's getting really good at it." Joel said returning the smile

"And Marilyn is great at running the doctors' office with a new doctor on hand.

"Capra left?" Joel asked, surprised

"Yeah, he said that he and his wife had to leave for personal reasons and we haven't heard anything since he left several years ago.

"Well, I hope things are going well on that front." Joel said

"They are, though we all still miss you, Joel." Maggie said playfully

"Maybe when I can, I could come visit again and see everyone again." Joel said, hoping that wouldn't be too awkward

"Maybe." Maggie said with a mischievous smile causing Joel to laugh

"Okay, O'Connell, it was great talking to you, or at least dream you, and maybe we can talk again some other time, maybe by email or phone."

"Sure, but it wouldn't be as fun." She said, as she waved to him goodbye.

Both Maggie and Joel woke up from their sleep, wondering if the dream was real and what it could possibly mean.

Probably nothing but they were both happy to see that they still thought of each other.