a/n: Okay, here it finally is. It's really a little longer than epilogues are suppose to be but I got a bit carried away there. Plus a couple of you asked for a longer final chapter. Thank you so much for all your reviews I have gotten a real kick out of reading them and it feels good to know you've enjoyed the story. Let me know what you think of this ending. I know it might be a little cheesy but I tried to add some extra fluff to counter the cheese.
EPILOGUE
Kate woke up in darkness surrounded by light beams of moonlight streaking across casting shadows. Shutting her eyes she snuggled further under the warm covers when she realized how soft and smooth the ground was underneath her. Pushing her hand out to the side she felt around next to her and found soft material not the hard jungle floor that she had been laying on earlier. And the blanket did not feel thin and scratchy like her airline blanket usually did.
Flashing her eyes open again she realized that she was under a duvet in a big warm bed. Shocked she sat up with a start and tried to adjust her eyes to the darkness. Looking around she found herself in what appeared to be a bedroom, the moonlight streaming through the window near the bed.
"What the hell?" she thought to herself. "Where am I?"
Panicking she looked around and found the lamp next to the bed. Reaching over she turned it on and soft light filled the room. Still somewhat groggy she looked around her surroundings – she was definitely in a bedroom. 'Another dream?' she thought to herself. 'Not again.' "Tom? Boone?" she called out softly waiting for one of them to emerge and explain what was going on. She was met with silence. She slipped out of the bed and looking down noticed she was wearing a short, silky nightgown. Definitely not her normal bedtime attire on the island.
As she looked around the room she spotted a cradle in the corner across from the bed. Taking a step closer she recognized the cradle as the one from her dream…she looked inside and saw an infant inside. As she looked down at the baby in the blue sleeper he started to stir almost as if he sensed her. Opening his little eyes he started kicking and moving his arms reaching for her. Looking into his hazel eyes Kate felt the sleep induced fog lift from her brain and her memory clearing. This was her 3 month old son…Brandon.
Instinctively she reached down and caressed his cheek as he continued to reach up to her his hands opening and closing asking to be picked up.
"Hey sweetheart, "she cooed softly. "You awake huh?" she reached down and picked him up bringing him up close to her chest in a hug. Seeing him trying to reach for her breast Kate chuckled. "You must be hungry, huh, B?"
Padding back over towards the bed she sat up against the pillows and pulled down one of the straps of her nightgown to feed the fussy infant. Looking around the room again Kate felt a sense of security and comfort that had been rare in her life before the accident. Glancing at the dresser she spotted the wedding picture of her and Jack from a few years earlier. Smiling she looked down at her son and smoothed his dark hair as he suckled contently. "You're starting to look like your daddy more each day." She commented then looked over at the empty side of the bed. "I wonder where he is?" she thought out loud. "Maybe he's in the kitchen."
Now that she had been awake for a little bit her memories were much clearer. They had gotten off the island 4 years previously and just like Jack had promised her he had stuck with her through her legal battle. And just like the dream Tom had shown her they had been successful in keeping her out of jail and clearing her of the charges. Glancing again at the wedding picture she remembered their wedding day 3 years before at a beautiful resort in Laguna Beach.
Their daughter Abbey had been born 5 months earlier and was the unofficial flower girl. With Sun as her matron of honor and Claire as her bridesmaid Kate had walked down the isle in a long off white gown that hugged her torso then fell into a loose flowing skirt. Her hair pulled back into a loose and curly ponytail with baby breath flowers in the crown and a few tendrils softly framing her face. Her bouquet had been made up of peach roses that complimented the hint of peach that ran through her dress.
"Your ready?" Hurley asked her nervously.
Kate nodded as her hooked her arm through his. "I'm ready." She whispered. "You okay?" she asked noticing the pale complexion and nervous demeanor.
"Dude, you know it's not too late, you can get Charlie or Sayid to do this." Hurley replied motioning towards the front of the isle.
Kate shook her head. "No way. I asked you because I wanted you to walk me down the isle. Hurley, you've always been mine and Jack's biggest cheerleader and you helped me out when we got back, I mean, you didn't have to pay my bail."
"I didn't like the idea of you being in jail." He explained. "And it's not like I didn't have the money." He pulled at his jacket. "But seriously, I might pass out on you before we get to the end."
She smiled and reached up and kissed him softly on the cheek. "You'll be fine. I'm the one that's getting married remember? If anyone should pass out because of nerves it would be the bride."
Hurley looked at her in shock. "You're not gonna…you know…pass out, are you?"
She smiled. "No, I'm fine. I'm not even nervous. So, let's get this started."
A short time later she and Hurley were at the front of the isle without incident and he smoothly handed her over to Jack who looked nervous but handsome himself in a navy blue suit.
They had foregone some of the more traditional ceremonial stuff opting to keep it simple. But Jack surprised her when it was time for him to recite his vows.
The minister smiled as he looked out at the guests, "Jack has asked to say something before exchanging vows."
Holding both of Kate's hands in his he turned to face her completely. "We met under the most stressful of situations to say the least. You walking out of the jungle me kneeling there bleeding. But from the moment that we met there was a connection…a bond. Something that told me that you weren't like any other woman I had met and you weren't going to be like anyone else in my life. You believed in me at times when I didn't believe in myself and supported me even if you didn't agree 100 with my decisions. It took us a little while to get together but I guess we had to let go of some of our past and learn to trust not only each other but ourselves. But it was worth the wait, worth the struggle to get here. More than anything I realize that we complete each other. You are my heart, you are my soul and with you I am experiencing a powerful and life altering love." He spoke low and with a voice full of emotion.
Kate felt the tears fall down her cheeks as she listened. He had somehow managed to capture in words what she was feeling about him. Tearfully smiling she leaned up and kissed him before the Minister reminded them it wasn't time for the kiss yet as the guests chuckled.
The reception that followed was fun and lighthearted. Charlie had provided a few songs on his guitar performing some songs he had been working on for an upcoming independent album.
When Jack took Kate up to the suite he had reserved for the night she found a room full of twinkling candles, a box of her favorite chocolates on the bed along with a bottle of champagne chilling by the nightstand and soft music playing in the background. With Abby safely spending the night with Sun and Jin, the newlywed couple focused their undivided attention on each other and spent a romantic night blissfully in each others arms.
Realizing Brandon was done eating Kate snapped out of her reminiscing to look down at him and gently wiped his mouth. "Your daddy is a pretty amazing man." She told the baby. "He made the wedding perfect." Brandon gurgled and cooed back as if in agreement. Kissing his cheek she placed him on her shoulder and started patting his back.
'Funny how life can change' She thought. 'Six years ago I'm sacked down in cheap hotels or secluded farmhouses and now I'm a wife and a mother living in a nice house in middle suburbia…and happy.' She added. 'I'm happier than I ever thought I could be. Tom would be proud.'
"Hey" a voice broke into her thoughts. Turning around she saw Jack standing at the doorway holding Abby in his arms. The little girl's face buried for the moment in his neck her hair starting to pull out of their braids.
Kate smiled warmly. "Hey. I was wondering where you snuck off to."
Hearing Kate's voice Abby turned around and gave her a small smile. "Hi Mommy."
"Hi baby. What happened?"
Jack walked over and slowly sat down on the bed. "Seems 'we' had a nightmare She woke me up a little while ago because there was something under the bed." He explained.
"There was, daddy." Abby sniffled settling herself in his lap laying her head against his chest. "I heard it. It was growling."
Jack hugged the child and rubbed her back gently. "And we looked Angel. Whatever it was is gone. There's nothing under the bed." He kissed her forehead. "Not convinced." He whispered to Kate who smiled.
"He's hiding somewhere…waiting…like in the movie." Abby insisted her voice sounding like a mixture of poutiness and sleepiness.
"And we checked your closet and the bathroom and there's nothing there." Turning to look at his wife Jack shook his head. "That's the last time we leave her with Uncle Hurley for movie night. They watched some monster movie."
Kate smirked. "You'd think he got enough of monsters on the island." Noticing Brandon was starting to fall back asleep Kate got up and quickly worked on changing his diaper. Jack watched totally smitten by the image of his wife and son. He watched Kate effortlessly change Brandon's diaper before slipping him back into his pajamas. He smiled as she cuddled the infant for a moment before laying him back inside the cradle to sleep.
As Kate returned to the bed she noticed the smile on Jack's face. "What?" she asked sitting down.
"Nothing. You're just so good with him." He commented smiling.
Kate reached over and smoothed the bangs on Abby's forehead. The little girl had settled herself in Jack's arms and was almost back asleep. "So are you," She whispered, "With both of them." Looking up from Abby she found herself staring into Jack's eyes. Her stomach did a little flip like it always seemed to do whenever she found herself making eye contact with her handsome husband. She couldn't imagine loving him anymore than she did at that moment. He was everything she didn't know she wanted in a man until she met him. And now she couldn't see living her life without him.
"Hey" Jack's voice broke into her thoughts again.
"Huh?"
He reached over and rubbed her forearm affectionately. "You okay? His voice held a touch of concern.
"Yeah, I was just thinking about how great everything has turned out." She told him. "For us, I mean, since the crash."
He nodded in agreement then leaned over and lightly kissed her lips. "Yeah, I'd say I got pretty lucky."
"Me too." She whispered placing her hand on his cheek and giving it a quick but loving caress. "Very lucky."
Jack got up from the bed with Abby in his arms. "I better put her back in her bed before she wakes up again." He said.
"Good idea." Kate replied as she moved under the covers, the bed felling more comfortable and cozy than usual. She figured her dream had something to do with that.
A few minutes later Jack returned and joined Kate under the covers. Pulling her into his strong embrace he kissed her temple.
"I love you." Kate sighed as she snuggled in his arms – her favorite place to be – especially at night.
"I love you too, honey." Jack replied before turning slightly to glance at her. "You sure you're okay? You sound a little pre-occupied."
Kate nodded as she absentmindedly danced her fingers along his stomach. "I had a dream about the island. It was pretty intense and when I woke up for a few minutes I thought I was still there. "
"We've all had those." Jack replied. "They can be pretty unnerving. Did you dream about something in particular?"
"Yeah," she replied. Kate had never told Jack all the details of her dream about the future – even as some of the things in her dream played out in real life. She was afraid that he would think she was losing it.
"You want to talk about it?" he asked softly. One thing he had learned in his life with Kate was too not push her. Let her take some things at her pace.
"Promise you won't think I'm crazy?" Kate asked tentatively with a sideways glance up.
"I would never think that." He kissed her temple again.
She took a deep breath before speaking again. "I was dreaming about that time I got bit by the spider. Remember?"
"Yeah, I remember. You scared the hell out of me with that fever you got. I couldn't get it down for over 24 hours." Jack replied flashing back to sitting next to an unconscious Kate in her tent trying to will her better.
"Well, I never really told you but I had this really strange experience while I was out. I had this dream and Boone was in it."
"Boone?"
"Ah-huh, he came to me and told me that he was going to show me the future. That it was time for me to decide what I wanted – you or Sawyer."
"You're kidding?" Jack asked surprised that she had never shared the dream.
"No, it really was Boone or ghost, I don't know. We were in this room and he took me to see what would happened when we were rescued if I stayed with Sawyer and stayed on the run."
"And what happened?" jack was a little more than curious to say the least.
Kate told him about what she had seen, how she and Sawyer went from town to town, living under different names, never putting down any roots. She told him about how lonely and lost her future self became and how she finally left Sawyer.
"I cheated on him." Kate whispered almost embarrassed to admit even if it never really did happened.
"Only in the dream, Kate." Jack pointed out.
"Yeah, I guess." She snuggled a little deeper in his embrace relishing the warmth and safety she always felt with him. "We just weren't able to make reach other really happy and complete and we ended up hurting each other in the end."
"And what did your dream show about us?" he asked with a smile on his face. He was enjoying the chance to talk to his wife in bed again. They use to do it all the time – especially after making love, but since Brandon had been born their time alone had been limited.
"What'd you think?" Kate replied teasingly. "You've lived the highlights."
Jack turned slightly to bet a better look at her. "You serious?"
"Ah-huh, completely."
"The marriage, the kids, your legal problems working out?" he rattled on.
"Right down to the baby cradle that you gave me before Abby was born." Kate whispered.
When Jack didn't reply Kate sat up trying to search his face for a clue to what he was thinking. "See? I knew you'd think I was crazy." She finally said.
Jack looked up at her and smiled. "I don't think you're crazy, honey." He told her plainly. "It's just…weird. Here you get sick and you have a dream that shows you we're married that you're free, that we had two kids…it did show you a boy and girl, right?"
"Yeah," She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them staring forward. "I saw myself pregnant with Abby when the cradle arrived. Then the last thing I saw was you reading a story to Abby and I was in the kitchen 8 months pregnant with Brandon drinking hot chocolate and eating chips."
Jack chucked remembering her chocolate cravings during both pregnancies. "Wow."
"I know that all sounds weird and far fetched but the dream really did happen." Kate shook her head and seemed to hug her knees tighter. "I can't explain it."
Jack reached up and touched her shoulder gently. "Hey." She turned her head and looked at him. "You don't have to explain it." He said softly. "There's a lot of things about that island that can't be explained. Look at me I chased my father's ghost half way around the jungle when we first got there."
Kate smiled at his statement and let Jack pull her back into his embrace. Once again he managed to make her feel better.
"You really think so?"
Laying his chin on top of Kate's head Jack interlaced his fingers in hers. "Well, if I was John Locke I would say that it was fate that you and I were to get together and that if the island brought us there to fulfill our destiny it was the island's way of jumpstarting us that way."
Kate giggled. "But since you're not John Locke what does Jack Shepard say?"
Jack joined in her laughter. "I say that people in comas have been known to have very bizarre and unusual dreams and that maybe the fever had something to do with your dream."
"Ah-huh."
"And that there were things about that island that are better left unexplained. I am just grateful to whoever or whatever it was that we found our way to each other." He added.
Blushing slightly Kate hugged her husband tightly at his loving words and kissed his shoulder. "I am too. I really don't care how we got together I'm just glad we did."
Cupping her chin Jack brought his lips down on hers and kissed her deeply. Pouring all his love for this woman in his arms he pushed her down into the covers and let his lips trail kisses along her jaw and neck.
"Hummm…Jack…honey…"Kate mumbled getting lost in his kisses and caresses.
"Hummm…" Jack mumbled working on getting the strap of her nightie off her shoulder.
"Brandon's right there." Kate reminded her amorous husband of their son sleeping right next to the bed. "We might wake him."
Pulling his head back up Jack looked into her eyes his intent clear in his hazel eyes. "What'd you say I put him in Abby's room?" He suggested not wanting to stop.
Kate reached up and ran a finger along his jaw line the same look in her eyes. "I say that's a good idea." She giggled.
Giving her a quick kiss Jack crawled out of bed and Kate watched him gently pick up the cradle and walk out the room. Snuggling back under the covers waiting for him to return she flashed back to her dream again. Maybe in the end the choice hadn't been so much Jack or Sawyer but rather choosing between forgiving herself or continuing to punish herself for her past mistakes. Running with Sawyer would have given Kate a life isolated and fearful as a means of reminding herself that she wasn't worthy of more. But choosing to love and trust Jack and more importantly trust herself she let herself believe she could be the woman Jack saw her to be when they first met. A woman that was given a chance to start over and have all those things that she had wanted at one time before being robbed of those dreams.
She smiled remembering Tom's words "A dream is a wish your heart makes." She had wished to be happy and loved and that's exactly what she got.
Jack walked back into the room smiling seductively as he slipped back under the covers. "Where were we?" he joked wrapping her up in his arms and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.
Kate giggled as she pulled him closer to her. "Hummm…I think we were right about here." She said before returning her lips to his. Life was turning out as Kate Austin Shepard had wished it to. She couldn't ask for much more.
Fin
Next Story: Working title on my next story is "Just the Two of Us". It will be a post rescue setting mainly featuring Jack and Kate along with Charlie, Claire Sawyer and some Sarah also introducing a new character that will have a big impact on Jack and Kate. This one will have more angst and drama. The first chapter should be up in a few days. Hope you guys read it!