A Father's Blessing

Aaron was making his way to the caves the next morning like he had promised himself he'd do. He didn't know why but his stomach was churning like he was going to throw up. Was he really that scared of Jack? He didn't really know the answer to that question.

He took a deep breath and pushed away the brush from the caves' entrance. There was Jack and Taylor. They were in the middle of a lesson but he didn't care. This had to come before anything else. Taylor saw him before he could say something.

"Hey! I'm in the middle of a lesson right now. I'll be done in like…half an hour." She nodded to him and went back to correctly identify the metatarsals in the human foot.

"Umm…Taylor? I'm not here to see you. I need talk to your dad." Aaron gestured to the man standing next to her. Confusion swept across her face and then she nodded.

"Okay. I'll see you later then." She watched her father and Aaron walk behind the brush. 'What was that about,' she thought.

---

Aaron laid the ring in Jack's hand. He slowly brought it up so that he could see it better then looked at Aaron strangely.

"This is lovely Aaron but I'm happily married with a daughter." Jack joked. Aaron laughed slightly.

"I know sir. The ring isn't for you…it's for Taylor." Aaron explained.

"I see. Does this mean you want to marry her?" Jack asked very professionally.

"Yes sir."

"How will I know you'll take good care of her?" Jack had to cover all of the bases before he could give the okay to Aaron.

"I don't know sir. All I can tell you is that I love her. I always have and I don't want to live the rest of my life without her. And you're just going to have to take my word on that." Aaron looked at his feet. He was sure he was going to throw up.

Jack smiled to himself as he watched Aaron sweat. "Okay well, a word is one thing…will you be able to provide for her." Aaron's head snapped up and he nodded his head quickly.

"I've been on many of the hunting trips and know how to hunt a boar if the occasion should arise and I'm a pretty good fisher and Sayid has been teaching me how to use the radios and different electronics…" Jack cut him off.

"Okay, I believe you." Jack sighed and looked at Aaron harshly. Aaron's stomach twisted even further. He was going to say no, he could feel it. His eyes traveled, refusing to look Jack in the face. "When are you going to ask her?" Jack fingered the ring, inspecting every inch of it. It was nicely made.

"On her birthday." Aaron answered proudly.

"That's pretty romantic." Jack handed the ring back to Aaron. "And I'm a sucker for romantic. Welcome to the family!" Jack leaned in and brought Aaron into a huge bear hug.

Aaron patted Jack's back and thought he would throw up now because of the relief he felt. Happiness just flowed through him as he shook Jack's hand. He thanked Jack again before heading back to the beach and Jack headed back to his daughter's lesson.

"What was that all about?" She finally worded.

"Nothing. He just needed to ask me something." Jack smirked but then swiped the grin off of his face. "Now where were we?"

"Metatarsals." Taylor answered simply, furious that her father wouldn't tell her what was going on. What if he was sick and wasn't telling her. Jack would tell her right? She dismissed the thought as they moved on in her lesson.

000

Aaron was walking down the beach as happy as a clam when Will spied him. The younger man walked over to him.

"What's got you so happy." He talked in a hushed tone. Bailey sat on his shoulder sound asleep.

"I'll show you." He pulled out the ring again and flashed it to his friend.

"Is that what I think it is?" Aaron grinned slyly and nodded slowly. "YOU DOG!" He kicked him playfully. "Never thought you had it in you." Then kept walking and talking quietly until Tina showed up and took the sleeping Bailey from Will. The two men walked off together and left Tina staring after them.

She rubbed Bailey's back and watched her son walk away. She missed being a mother, not that she wasn't one, it was just that Will didn't need her anymore. But now she had Bailey and life was good again.

Tina held little Will's hand as they walked up and down the beach. He was two years younger than Aaron was, and about the same age as Hunter another couples little boy. He was now three.

Tina slowed so that Will could keep up. He took the tiniest steps Tina ever did see. He was a joy to her. A true mama's boy. She and Sawyer were having a time with him and she couldn't have been happier.

Soon she was walking again and because she took longer strides than her child did, Will ended up tripping in the process. The boy cried out and Tina picked him up.

"Oh, Will, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm such a bad mommy for doing that to you. Shh…" the boy's cries died down and he rested his head in the nape of her neck. She loved it when he did that. Soon his body was heavy against her's and she knew he was asleep.

She just walked like that…holding him…for the longest time. Sawyer had joined her later but she enjoyed the moment of motherhood that life had granted her. With her William pressed up against her and the sound of the waves close by, the sand in between her toes…she didn't know how much better life could get.

Tina walked away with the child on her shoulder softly breathing in her ear. Those moments she shared with Will were over now but she now had Bailey to have moments with and she was bound to make it last while she could. So, she stared her way down the stretch of sand with Bailey snuggled close to her chest.