A/N: Thanks again everyone for all the reviews!

Chapter 24: Graduation Day

As the next 2 weeks slipped by, Jack and Kate started planning their wedding, as Claire and Charlie started dating. Most of their dates would be Charlie spending time with Claire and Aaron. He loved to be around the two of them. Meanwhile, Jack and Kate settled on a wedding day. August 15th.

However, one more major even had to happen for them all. Graduation. Margo hired a tutor for Claire, so she could graduate with the group. Right then, they all were in the choir room of the church putting on their caps and gowns. The girls wore yellow and the guys wore green. It was their high school's colors.

"Jack!"

He looked over to see an older friend come over. "Michael! Where have you been?" Jack teased.

"Just over at the career center." He joked. Their school had a program where you could job train for specific careers. Michael had gone there to study architecture. "I heard about you and Kate. It's about time!"

"Thanks." Jack smiled. "How are things with you and Susan?"

"Really good. We're getting married soon and the baby's coming. It's a boy." Michael beamed.

"Congrats! What are you going to name him?" Jack asked.

"Walt. After my dad." He said proudly. The two friends talked some more while the rest got ready.

"This is it!" Claire said excitedly as Kate straightened her cap for her. "Are you nervous?"

"Yeah. It's not everyday I have to make a speech." Kate replied. She was salutatorian, or second in her class, and was sick with nerves.

"You'll do fine. Just pretend you're only talking to Jack and me." Claire hugged her best friend.

"It's time!" Principal Locke called. All the seniors had to get in line by alphabetical order.

Jack hugged Kate and said, "Good luck with the speech." He kissed her and went to his place beside Claire.

The senior class filed into the sanctuary and sat in the assigned seating. Mr. Locke, the staff, and the rest of the school board were all on stage. The top ten of the class was announced. Jack came in 3rd, and Kate went up when her name was called in 2nd. Even though she was nervous, she made it through. Her speech was about staying together and wishing everyone luck in the future. Sayid ended up being the valedictorian, so his speech was next. He was well liked by everyone, so his speech also held a lot of meaning to the graduates.

Soon it was time to hand out the diplomas. It went pretty smoothly for being in alphabetical order. Everyone's parents tried to get good pictures as their kids went across the stage. Jack's cousin Amanda had come to LA for this, so she took pictures while Margo held Aaron.

When everyone got his or her diplomas, Mr. Locke gave the order to turn the tassels and a sea of green and yellow caps went flying into the air.

The 8 friends met their parents in the hallway.

"Congratulations!" Sam, Diane, Margo holding Aaron, Amanda, Liam, Karen, Megan, Teresa, Susan, and the rest of the families told them.

The group was all smiling.

"I'm glad we're finally done!" Sawyer said proudly.

"Be glad you actually DID." Ana added teasing him.

Margo came to Claire, "I think someone wants his mom."

Claire took her son and held him close. Aaron stopped crying and looked around. "That's my little boy." She kissed his forehead, which tiny blonde hair was starting to grow.

"Let's get some group pictures!" Diane announced.

"Wait for us!" Sun and Jin said. They had come to see their friends graduate too.

The group of now 11 stood side by side. The camera holders backed away to get all of them. The line of friends went Ana, Sawyer, Jack, Kate, Claire holding Aaron, Charlie, Hurley, Michael, Jin, and Sun, whose pregnant belly was starting to show. This picture would be treasured for years to come.

Everyone went home with their parents when the night was done. Margo, Jack, Claire, Aaron, and Amanda entered the Shepherd house.

"How long are you staying Amanda?" Claire asked.

"I need to know how much you're going to embarrass me." Jack teased.

She laughed. "Jackie, you're always so worried about Kate finding out your dark past!" She joked, since their obviously wasn't one. "Actually, I told Margo, but I haven't told you two." Amanda replied. She was now holding Aaron. "I'm moving back!"

Smiles came to both the new grads faces.

"Really?" Claire asked.

Amanda nodded. "A fellow student I went with at MIT wants to open a designing firm. They needed a web designer, so here I am!"

"That's really great Mandy!" Jack smiled at her. "But what about school?"

"I'm transferring out here to UCLA and the firm will play for all of it."

"Where are you going to live?" Claire asked.

"Mom kept the house here!" Amanda said excitedly. "I've always loved that house."

"That's only a few blocks away! This is great!" Claire said as she hugged her cousin. They had been close when they were little.

"I've also have news on Jenn! She's getting married too! It's that guy Robbie who's in the Marines."

"Jenn actually met someone?" Claire replied shocked.

"What did you think sis? That she was going to live alone with cats." Jack teased as he and Amanda laughed.

However, Claire wasn't laughing. "Actually I did." The 3 of them burst out laughing.