Chapter 21

Jack and Kate had decided to stay in Australia for at least till after their wedding then they planned to return to the States later in the year. They already bought a house in the same neighbourhood as Hurley and Libby and Jin and Sun. Kate was happy to know that her daughter would grow up with the children of her friends. Jack had gotten word from the local hospital that he would have a job there when they move out there and Kate planned on going to college part time.

They'd spent a month in California just two months after Jack bought Kate back from the island. They initially went there for Hurley and Libby's wedding. An extravagant late September wedding they held at a 5 star hotel not far from their house. It was the first time in nearly a year that Kate had seen her friends again, she cherished the love and acceptance from them all for the first time in many years she could actually say she have a group of friends again. They also went to introduce Kate to Margo and let her meet her granddaughter, and then they'd gone to see Kate's grandmother and Sam. It had been a heartbreaking reunion. Sam had taken Kate in his arms, asking her to forgive him for not being there for her not only while she was growing up but after. He was quite taken with his new role of grandfather though.

They returned in time for Claire and Charlie's wedding beginning December and while the two newly weds were off on honeymoon in Europe Jack and Kate took care of Aaron with Charlie and Claire promising to return the favour so Jack and Kate could get away on their own for a while as well. Jack and Kate had their job cut out for them with a 4 month old baby and 14 month old toddler. At night they were both drained of energy and more than once Kate found Jack passed out on the bed with his nephew still awake and playing where Jack was supposed to have gotten Aaron asleep. Then one afternoon she found them both asleep on the couch after they'd all spent the morning on the beach. Kate managed to read a few chapters of a book while Hope napped in the shade of a umbrella, Jack on the other hand were helping Aaron build sandcastles and running after him to stop the toddler from running into the water. The water was like a magnet to the boy.

It had really been the year of weddings as Hurley pointed out during his post wedding speech. She was pretty sure that secretly everyone was most excited of her and Jack's wedding. Hurley and Charlie were ecstatic both having similar reactions when first finding out. Shocked and surprised to find out about the baby to practically jumping in the air yelling, 'I knew it.' When finding out about the upcoming wedding. Charlie even jokingly but in similar fashion to Jack's talk to Charlie before his and Claire's wedding told Jack to take good care of Kate or else.

By Christmas when most of the friends got together in Australia at Jack and Kate's rental house just down the road from Charlie and Claire so between the two houses they had set up their friends so none of them had to go stay in hotels. Sawyer and Cassidy and Sayid and Nadia were staying with Jack and Kate while Hurley and Libby and Sun and Jin were staying with Charlie and Claire. Libby had secretly told Kate and Claire that she was 2 months pregnant. None of them could believe how their lives had changed this past year.

Jack had gotten them a huge Christmas tree to put in the corner of the living room, heaps of presents were now lying wrapped under it. They'd gone out together to buy the decorations and presents and spent a leisurely afternoon wrapping gifts and decorating the tree. For Kate it still felt strange celebrating Christmas in summer though, she secretly missed the white American Christmas even if that's about all she missed from her childhood or any previous Christmas for that matter. Claire had told her how she on the other hand had never had a white Christmas. Having a summer Christmas was normal for her. They used to spend Christmas on the beach or next to a swimming pool. Jack having grown up in California didn't particularly miss having a white Christmas but he had a surprise for Kate. On Christmas Eve he had gotten the help of the other men and by night time while all the women were over at Charlie and Claire's with the kids the men went out on their secret mission. When they returned hours later it was dark but Jack insisted on blindfolding Kate while driving back to the house Kate had protested but Jack was firm, 'no peaking' and he made sure she kept the blindfold on till they were inside the house. He led her upstairs, to the bedroom where they first tucked a sleeping Hope into her crib before going to their room. The four people staying with them had quietly followed them inside and upstairs to the guest rooms. Kate could swear they all had knowing secretive smiles on their faces when they said goodnight but couldn't get anything out of any of them. "Just what is it you've got up your sleeve Dr Shepard? And is everyone in on it?" Kate asked Jack as they went into their room.

Jack just smiled at her taking her in his arms. "You'll have to wait and see"

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" She gave him a delightfully wicked smile as she ran her hands down his chest, over his t- shirt, before moving them under his shirt to draw her hands up over the bare flesh of his back. Her cool palms moving slowly over the muscles of his back and up to his shoulders. Everywhere her hands touched they left a deep heat behind making the rest of his skin feel cool in comparison causing him to shiver slightly in response.

He gave a step back to tug first his t- shirt off. Her eyes followed every move as he continued to kick off his shoes, and then unzipping his jeans slowly stepping out of them, finally standing naked before her. He was a pleasure to look at from his strong chest down to his stomach and down… She wanted all of him. His searing brown eyes, his mouth, those hands.

She continued to slowly strip out of her own clothes as well. Keeping her eyes locked on his.

"So beautiful." He traced his fingers along the line of her throat, her shoulder, feeling the heat of her flesh through his fingertips. "You are so damned beautiful."

She was breathing through her mouth with little pants and Jack felt himself harden just looking at her.

She took his hands in hers and slowly moved backwards to the big king size bed. Lying down she pulled him down to her. Her arms going around his neck. Her mouth seeking his, eager to taste him. Their mouths closed onto a heated deep kiss after a few minutes he pulled away drawing his lips down her body allowing his lips to show her just how beautiful he thought she was.

At last he touched his mouth to hers again, gently nibbling, then suckling her top lip, savouring the taste and texture of it, committing every element of it to his memory even as he felt her teeth close lightly over his bottom lip, mimicking his actions and sending tiny electrical shocks through his body. He pulled out of the kiss, sucking on her bottom lip, nipping it before letting it go.

He felt her hand searching for him and grabbed it before she got to her destination. His eyes blazing into hers he pushed her hands up above her head, holding them immobile.

Her whimpers tore at him once again pushing him inexorably closer to the edge Kate seemed capable of sending him into orbit more quickly and frantically than anyone he'd ever known. He had to take a few deep breaths to control his own passion and reign himself in stopping himself from just devouring her. He wanted to make it last. With one hand still holding her hands above her head he started kissing her neck, down her shoulders to her breasts and further down…

Kate revelled in the feel of his body on hers of his hot mouth on her skin. As with everything he did, Jack was extremely thorough, licking and biting and tasting every inch of her, working her over with the prowess of a master. She squirmed and writhed and moaned and bucked and still he held her, trapping her with his mouth, controlling her actions, her every thought, her every breath.

She arched under him pushing herself further into his mouth, making little cries that urged him on. She was twisting more furiously under him and he knew what she wanted. Her eyes were begging him. Taking one sensitive nipple in his mouth he rolled it lightly with his tongue, drawing a soft cry from her lips that almost drove him over the edge.

Trembling, clinging to every ounce of control he had, he slowly lowered himself into her waiting warmth, She moved with him, making little whimpering noises each time he withdrew. He met her gaze and they shared a look that transcended time, that transcended space, and at that moment all that mattered, all that existed, was the two of them.

Just when she feared that she might lose consciousness, carried away on a tide of pure sensation, the orgasm engulfed her, drowning her completely, sending her skyward without a parachute. She floated forever, catapulted beyond herself, the blood rushing through her veins a thundering accompaniment to her complete weightlessness.

At long last, Kate felt herself drifting back, became conscious once more of his hands twined in her own, of the weight of his body against hers, She felt his lips on her mouth and responded to his kiss with dizzy, lazy motions. They lay there for a long time, lost in each other's arms.

Jack looked at the clock next to the bed and smiled when he saw it was after midnight. "Merry Christmas"

She looked up at him. "Merry Christmas" She said sleepily.

It was still early when Hope's cries woke Jack he turned the baby monitor off seeing Kate still peacefully asleep. He quietly slipped out of bed and quickly got dressed in jeans before their daughter woke everyone in the house. He went to get her, dried her nappy and took her downstairs to get her morning bottle of milk ready. He wanted to get back to Kate before she woke up and saw her surprise.

Five minutes later he was back upstairs lying Hope down on the bed next to Kate giving her her bottle when she finished drinking she started making gurgling giggling noises. Kate opened her eyes and smiled at her and Jack

"You two are up early?"

"She was hungry, I left you to sleep a bit"

"Thanks" Jack watched her stretch lazily. "You tired me last night"

Jack grinned "and here I thought you were the young energetic one"

Kate playfully threw a pillow at him.

He picked up Hope and came round to her side of the bed, reaching out his free arm to her. "Come on it's time to get up, something I want to show you"

She pushed the covers aside and quickly got dressed in a jean and t shirt. Her curiosity of the night before piqued again.

The house was still quiet their guests still asleep while Jack led her downstairs to a colourful illuminated living room, the lights on the Christmas tree sparkling but he continued on to the window. Stopping there he asked her to open the curtains. Kate was confused but something on his face stopped her from asking questions so she did what he asked. She pulled the curtains aside and gasped. "Oh my god…" She was staring out at the most beautiful sight she's ever seen. The grass, trees, plants everything in their garden was covered in a white blanket. The early morning sun glinting rainbows of colour of the white surface.

"Merry Christmas Kate" Jack said softly, transfixed by the look on her face.

Kate was speechless. "Jack? How did you?"

"I know you would've liked to have a white Christmas, but since it wouldn't be possible do here I arranged for a fake white Christmas. Just here at the house though."

Kate's eyes filled with tears, she swallowed past a sob and flung her arms around him. Nearly crushing Hope between them. Jack was startled by her reaction but placed his free arm around her waist, holding her close.

"Oh God Jack, I can't believe you did this"

"I wanted this Christmas to be special for you." He held onto Hope in one arm and with the other reached to wipe the tears from her face. "You've been through so much, you deserve a happy Christmas."

"So do you"

"I have everything I want right here having you and Hope is more than I could ever have imagined" He pulled her closer to him kissing her.

"So do I" She breathed hard, passionately returning his kiss. "Thank you Jack" She whispered minutes later, leaning her head against his shoulder.