Thank you guys so much for all the reviews so far. They are great and I look forward to reading more. I'm becoming such a review whore. Hahaha...But seriously, it's nice to know that you guys are really liking this story. We're now getting into what Kate's life with Jack would be like now that all of the legal business is over.

Chapter 13

Kate and Tom found themselves back at Mr. Jenkins office. A week had passed since their last meeting.

Patrick was seated behind his traditional mahogany desk that private practice attorneys seemed to relate to having a successful practice. Jack and Kate sat in front of him.

"We got the paperwork from the New Mexico state attorney. They've agreed to drop the bank robbery charges as well as the aggravated assault charge against Jason Richards." Patrick explained cheerfully.

"That's great." Jack looked over at Kate and smiled.

"I'm glad." Kate said softly. "And the other charges?"

"I've been having several conversations with the county prosecutor in Des Moines. My private investigator did some checking on Ted Payton since the shooting. After he and your mom divorced he moved around until he met and married a woman who owns a clothing chain store in Kansas City. But it does seem that before he met his current wife while he lived in Colorado his ex-girlfriend filed a report with local police accusing him of touching her 12 year old daughter. But there was no physical evidence and the daughter was refusing to tell police anything happened." Patrick read from the report the private investigator had completed.

"Son of a bitch". Jack sighed.

"Oh my god." Kate gasped. "He really is sick."

"And it makes him a very unsympathetic victim during trial. I think the county attorney realizes that. They're not looking to take this to trial and end up with another O.J. type of fiasco."

"Meaning…" Jack wasn't sure what that last comment meant.

"If they insist on taking this to trial I explained we'd definitely use the media to our advantage as a defense tool. Young girl shoots her child molesting step father after police and prosecutors don't help and are now prosecuting her. It's a case that they know they could easily lose, juries are emotional creatures, and it would be before a national audience."

Kate was mortified at what Patrick Jenkins was proposing. The idea of her past being put out for everyone to hear and read. And have everybody look at her like the survivors had the first few days after learning she was the fugitive.

"I don't want that." She told the attorney.

Patrick shook his head and smiled briefly. "It's all part of the negotiations."

"So what does this mean?" Jack questioned with some frustration. He just wanted to know if Kate would remain free or not. "Where do we stand with all of this?"

"They're offering a plea agreement." Patrick pulled out a sheet of paper and looked directly at Kate. "They're offering 2 years probation for the shooting of Payton and 1 year probation for the escape charge. I recommend that we accept it."

Kate looked over at Jack for his reaction. Could this whole nightmare be coming to an end? "Just like that? She asked softly. "It'd be over just like that?"

"Pretty much. You sign this offer, I send it back to Iowa and then we'll have to fly over there and appear before the judge for the plea agreement hearing. It's more of a formality at that point." He explained and placed the document in front of her and handed her a pen.

"So no jail time?" Kate asked slowly trying to absorb everything.

"No jail time, Kate." He replied. "Just regular check ins with your probation officer for the next three years. It's a good deal."

Taking a deep breath Kate took the pen and signed the document. No jail time. No being locked up in a small suffocating cell. No more running. No more lying about who she really was. Suddenly she remembered her ankle. "When can I get the ankle bracelet off?"

Patrick chuckled. "I anticipated you'd want that off as soon as possible. Can't imagine it would be very comfortable." Kate nodded in agreement. "I filed a motion to amend your conditions of release asking that the ankle be removed once you agree to take the plea agreement. You can get it off today." He announced.

"Really?" Kate smiled broadly. No more house arrest. "Now?"

"As soon as we're done here, you can go over and get it removed."

"Thank you, "she reached over and shook Patrick's hand. " Thank you for everything."

"So, it's over?" Kate turned to Tom. "Just like that?"

"Sometimes the system works." He replied. "Just like Jenkins told you, you two flew to Des Moines, appeared in court, the plea agreement was accepted by the court and you were officially on probation. It was over."

"So now what?" she asked.

"Now the hard part, Katie. What to do with the rest of your life?"

They went back to Jack's house.

The door bell rang a couple of times before Kate came out of the kitchen to answer it. It was almost 11am and she was expecting Claire for lunch. Opening the door she was greeted by the pretty blonde-haired girl holding Aaron.

"Claire, you made it." Kate greeted.

"Kate! It's good to see you." She smiled trying to balance Aaron on one hip and a folded up playpen and diaper bag in another.

"Here let me get that for you." Kate reached over and pulled the apparatus and bag from Claire before leading her inside. "We can put the playpen up near the dining table."

Claire followed her in looking around the house. Since the rescue this was the first time she had been at Jack's house. Their last get together several weeks ago had been at Hurley's house. "This is a nice house. I love the fireplace."

"Yeah, isn't that great? I've been working on the backyard. Jack pretty much neglected it when he first moved in. He tells me he never had time. I just think he doesn't have a green thumb and he refuses to admit it." She said as she pulled apart the hinges on the playpen and propped it up. "Want some iced tea?"

"That would be great." Claire answered setting Aaron in the playpen and throwing in several of his toys. "You be a good boy for your mommy and let her and Aunt Kate talk, okay?" she told the toddler.

Kate came out with the tea handed Claire a glass and motioned to the couch. "I thought we could sit and catch up before eating, if you've got the time."

"I've got all afternoon." She plopped down on the couch. "Charlie's laying down some guitar tracks for somebody and that usually goes all day. He just gets so wrapped up playing."

"How's the new album coming?"

"Well, he's gotten quite a few offers but he says they're too commercial. They want him to do more pop style music and he doesn't want to do that. And his brother Liam is now talking about maybe going back on the road with Drive Shaft."

"Really? Drive Shaft getting back together? That'd be something." Kate took a sip of the tea.

"Yeah, it would. I just hate the idea of him going on the road. We could go with him, but can you imagine doing a rock tour with a baby along?" Claire laughed.

"Yeah, you could put the diapers right next to the cooler of beer in the bus." Kate teased back. "How are you doing?"

Claire smiled and quickly told Kate about her recent job working in a daycare center. She actually liked being around the kids and since Aaron was allowed to come along he was able to spend time with other children.

"And what about you?" Claire quizzed. "Since all of your legal problems are over and done, what are you looking at doing?"

Kate shrugged her shoulders. "I've kind of looked through the wanted ads, I'm just not sure too many people are looking to hire a convicted felon."

"I'm sure there are. What do you want to do?" Claire asked.

"Honestly?" she said softly.

"Sure."

"I've been thinking about looking into going to school and getting my degree in counseling. I think I'd like to help kids that are going through what I went through." Kate explained. "I'd like to work with sexually abused kids – let them know they have someone that knows what they're going through and that someone cares."

Claire let out a small gasp. She really wasn't expecting to hear that from Kate. She and Charlie never really knew the whole story about Kate except the brief story that had been in the paper and she never felt comfortable asking her friend for details. "I think that would be a great idea." She said.

"I don't know. Just something I've been thinking about."

"What does Jack say?"

Kate poured herself another glass of tea before answering. She hadn't told Jack yet she had been thinking about school. He hadn't pressured her about getting a job or even trying to decide what she wanted to do. "I haven't told him yet." She admitted.

"Why not?"

"I don't know. We've kind of been off kilter. He's been working extra covering for another doctor and he's been helping putting together a training seminar. That's where's he's at – a training seminar."

"You two aren't…ahum…?" Claire wasn't sure how to ask if Jack and Kate were back to being a couple romantically without sounding too much like a busy body.

Kate shook her head. "I think we're each waiting for the other to make a move. At least that's what I think. I don't know, maybe he's just lost interest."

"Oh Kate, that's not it. He's crazy about you. You could see it on his face when we were all still on the island."

"Yeah, but we're back in the real world and everything has been such a trial with getting my case worked out. Maybe he's just realizing it's not worth it and doesn't know how to tell me." Kate's voice started to fill with emotion.

Claire reached over and placed a hand on top of Kate's. "Has he said anything about wanting out?" Kate shook her head. "Well, see, he's probably just waiting for you to make the first move. Men can be such block heads sometimes."

Kate smiled and wiped a small tear from the corner of her eye. "I'm sorry I'm being silly. You're probably right."

Claire looked over at her friend and noticed her face was a little fuller than the last time she had seen her. And she looked a little tired. "Kate, are you feeling okay?" she asked.

Kate nodded her head as she shrugged her shoulders. "I've been a little tired."

"Your stomach bothering you?"

"Ah huh, all that stress has been wreaking havoc on it." She admitted.

Claire smiled. "Are you late?"

"Late? Late for what? Kate asked.

Claire laughed at Kate's response. "Late as in your period?" She had no clue.

Kate thought about her question for a minute going over her cycle silently. "Yeah." She finally said slowly.

"You're pregnant." Claire announced. "I knew there was something different about your face…."

"Pregnant? How can I be pregnant?"

"There's only one way…" Claire replied. "Well, actually I guess with modern science that's not so true anymore."

"No, I mean Jack and I haven't sleep together since the rescue. I can't be pregnant."

"Well, we've only been back about 2 months. Did you guys, you know…on the island?"

Kate closed her eyes and flashed briefly to the image of she and Jack making love a few days before the rescue boat arrive. "Yeah." She admitted. "Do you really think I could be pregnant?"

"Well, there's one way to find out." Claire stood up. "We could get one of those home tests after we eat lunch."

"What'd you mean after we eat lunch?" Kate asked surprised. "Can't we go now?"

"We could, but I'm starved. And you promised me lunch." Claire laughed. "Plus, it'll give you some time to process the idea. I know it took me a while." She pulled Kate up from the couch and pushed her towards the table.

Agreeing Kate went into the kitchen and brought out the sandwiches and salad she made for lunch. Unfortunately, she had lost her appetite so she sat and watch Claire eat listening to her update Kate on some of the other survivors. When she was done the two buckled Aaron into the car seat and drove down to the nearby drugstore. Wanting to be sure Kate bought two test – similar to what Claire had done and they returned to the house.

Claire waited outside the bathroom door as Kate performed the test. She came out and joined her friend in the hallway. "Okay, I guess we'll know in ten minutes." Kate smiled weakly.

"I'm pregnant?" An astonished Kate asked Tom.

"You'll have to wait the ten minutes to find out." The young man joked.

"That's not funny Tom" Kate replied. "Am I or not?"

"Actually, before you find that you we need to go check on Jack." He took her hand and before she could protest they went through the wall and found themselves in the ballroom of one the local hotels where the medical seminar Jack was attending was being held.

"What are we doing here?" Kate's mind was still back on the little plastic stick in the bathroom in Jack's house.

"You'll see."

The afternoon portion of the seminar was just wrapping up and some of the attendees decided to get together at the hotel bar for a final drink before leaving. One of the presenting doctors, a supervising surgeon, convinced Jack to join them. He sat down next to one of the female doctors in the group who was a recent hire. Dr. Diana Cordero was a pretty, self assured, blonde who's specialty was pediatrics. She had spent the downtime during the seminar trying to catch the handsome Dr. Shepard's attention and now she had quietly maneuvered her way into sitting next to him for the happy hour. Conversations ranged from the material that had been presented earlier that day to recent medical journal reports and patient stories. Jack mainly sat back and observed the group. He wasn't up to sharing an island stories with co-workers. After the first couple of rounds some of the people in the group started getting up and making excuses to leave until there was only Jack, his boss Harvey, Diana and two other residents. Jack started to make his own excuse to leave but Diana wouldn't hear it. She asked him to stay just until she finished the drink she had just ordered. Being a gentlemen Jack agreed.

"So, are you settling in to the hospital routine?" Jack asked her.

"Pretty much, though I must say I'm much busier here than at the hospital I was previously at in Glendale."

"Yeah, we never lack for patients." He joked.

"So Jack, speaking of settling in…how are you doing?" she asked. "I mean, it must still be a bit weird to be back in the real world?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's gotten better now that the publicity has died down. I'm pretty much back to a routine. Some things are different, but some are for the better." He explained.

She nodded her head and took a sip of her Cosmopolitan trying to make the drink last. "I can't imagine some of the things you guys must have gone through. I read some of the news articles. You're a hero Jack."

He shook his head having tired of hearing himself being referred to as a 'hero'. "I was just trying to survive. We all were. People did what they had to do."

Diana reached out and put her hand on his forearm. "You're not giving yourself enough credit. You kept those people alive. You should be proud." She gushed slightly. He really was a good looking man, she thought to herself.

Jack chuckled at her comment. He wondered if she would be so insistent if she had been stranded on the island and witnessed it all first hand. "So, where are you originally from?" he asked attempting to change the subject.

Diana laughed and smiled. "Okay, I get it no more island talk. I'm from San Francisco originally. How about you?"

"Born in Seattle, Washington but we moved to Los Angeles when I was 6 years old." He replied smiling back.

Diana leaned in a little closer when she saw him smile. Maybe he was finally ready to play her game. "So you're almost a native."

"I guess you could say that." He laughed then looked back over to Harvey who was still dispensing his wisdom to the two residents who were looking for someone to throw them a life preserve. "Poor guys, maybe I should go and distract Harvey."

Diana quickly grabbed his arm. "Oh no, let them go. I'm sure Dr. Andrews is giving them some good advice. "She said weakly trying to come up with a reason for Jack to stay seated. Meanwhile he glanced down at his watch it was a little after 5:30 – he wasn't looking forward to the commuter traffic home.

"Don't tell me you have another appointment, doctor." She teased.

"Actually, I'm not looking forward to hitting the evening traffic." He replied.

Taking another larger sip of her drink Diana decided to jump in with both feet. "So, how about we kill some time and have some dinner?" she offered looking him in the eyes.

"Ahum…Actually…"Jack started to explain.

"What? Let me guess you're involved with someone?" she asked matter of factly.

Jack nodded. "It's a bit complicated, but yeah."

"Well, that's okay. I mean it doesn't have to be anything serious." Diana recovered smoothly.

"Excuse me?" Jack replied surprised at her comments.

"Well, I fell the attraction between us. Nothing wrong with us going and getting room upstairs and getting to know each other better." She propositioned him as she leaned in and gave him a light kiss.

Kate turned to Tom furious. "I so do not like her." She spit out. "What the hell is she trying to do?"

"I think that's pretty obvious, Katie." Tom replied.

"Great, so first I get to see Sawyer cheat on me and now you brought me here to watch Jack do the same thing?" her eyes starting to tear up.

"Is that what you think is going to happened?" he asked. "Do you believe in your gut that Jack would cheat on you?

Kate shook her head. "No." she said softly.

"Okay, then let's go back to the house." Tom took her hand but Kate shook it away.

"Wait, you mean we're not going to see this play out?"

"Why, if you think you already know what he's going to do?" Tom took her hand and pulled her back through the wall before she could protest further.

Upcoming Chapter – Is Kate really pregnant or is a result of all the stress she's been under both on the island and in the regular world? Did Jack take up Diana on her offer or was Kate's gut feeling right? Oh and do you guys want a little more fluff?