Thank you all so much for the amazing reviews! I really enjoyed writing this story so I decided to write an epilogue. This takes place over the course of a few months, but I never specify the exact date. Hope you enjoy reading... :)
Julian suddenly came bursting into the room where Juliet, James, and Rachel were currently catching up and asked in confusion, "What's going on in here? We never got to finish our game!"
"Yeah." Miles added cluelessly as he strolled into the room, "What have you guys been -" He stopped in his tracks once he caught sight of his old friend. "What the hell? Jules?"
"Hey, Miles." She greeted softly, throwing him a full hearted smile, and in a flash he had his arms wrapped around her.
"How the hell'd you get here?" He asked, not awaiting an answer before admitting, "I missed you."
"Yeah?"
He nodded as he pulled away from their embrace, "Car ride all the way to Florida was torture without you to break up me and Jim's fights."
She let out a laugh, "I can only imagine. What did they consist of this time - who could sing 'Let's get it on' better?"
"Nah. I already won that argument back in the seventies." James chirped up with a smirk, "Don't ya' remember - ya' gave me that victory kiss?"
She fought the urge to smile at the memory, "It was a little more than a kiss if I remember correctly."
"Whoa. Easy, lovebirds. There's a kid present." Miles reminded them, motioning in Julian's direction, and Juiet visibly recoiled at his statement - She hadn't fully acknowledged the child's presence until said moment. She tilted her head as she swiftly examined the boy's dark, disheveled hair and glowing bright eyes that bore up into hers.
"Well you must be Julian." She grinned as she knelt down to his level, "I've been waiting to meet you."
"You have?" The boy asked proudly before his eyes lit up in recognition, "Oooh, you're the lady - from the picture!"
She furrowed her brows, "What picture?"
"Mommy has it on the fridge. She says it was from the birthday before you left." He paused, trying to remember the name his mother had brought up so many times before, "She says you're Aunt Juliet. Right?"
She smiled at the precious young boy she was lucky enough to call her nephew, "That's right."
"Lemme' show you it!" He suggested as he grabbed a hold of his aunt's hand and led her towards the kitchen, "Don't worry, you look pretty in it."
Rachel, James, and Miles watched the two leave the room with smiles on each of their faces.
"He already loves her." Rachel breathed out happily, wiping away the single tear that stuck to her cheek, "But it's a shame he barely knows his own aunt."
"Don't you worry." James spoke up, "I gotta feelin' me an' Jules will be findin' a place o' are own right here in Miami. Julian'll get ta' be spendin' a ton a' time with her soon."
"What?" Miles spit out from beside him, "You're gonna get a house all the way out here in Florida without even consulting me?"
"Cool yer jets, Bonsai. Ya' can come over whenever ya' want. Maybe they'll even be a house nearby so we can be neighbors like the ol' days." He paused to run a hand through his hair, "'An 'soon as we move in, yer comin' over - yer gonna help me paint it yellow."
Miles let out a slight laugh, but didn't respond. He remained quiet for a stretch of time before licking his lips and stating, "Now that Jules' back...I think you should take some of the diamands I snatched."
James arched an eyebrow, "Why's that?"
"You can use it to buy her a new engagement ring."
James smiled, but shook his head nonetheless, "You don't gotta - "
"I'm doing it for Jules, not you." He cut him off, "Don't flatter yourself, LaFleur."
"Thanks for coming out, Hugo." Jack stated as he smoothed down his hair in the dressing room mirror, "It means a lot."
"Are you kidding? Dude, I wouldn't miss this for the world." The other man replied, giving Jack a firm pat on the back, "But are you like, alright? You must be super nervous and stuff."
He gave a quasi-shrug as he shook his head, "Not at all. It feels right."
"Makes sense. You two are like, the perfect couple."
Jack smiled as way of thank you, then decided, "I'm going to run to the bathroom. Don't let them start the wedding without me."
Hurley agreed and Jack then made his way down the narrow hallway, smile planted on his face until a nearby door unexpectedly swung open, sending him tumbling to the ground.
"Oh my god! Jack, are you okay?" Kate asked as she revealed herself from behind the door and rushed over to her fiance's side.
He nodded his head as he rose to his feet, "I'm fine, it's just -" He froze as he looked up and saw her, donned in her strapless white gown for the first time. Her hair was styled in a bun, her sheer veil flowing down her freckled back. His grin widened as his eyes moved from her dress, to her hair, down to her glimmering eyes, "You look amazing."
She looked down, suddenly shy, "The groom isn't supposed to see the bride before the wedding."
"Right. Sorry." He apologized, but couldn't force his eyes to look away.
"What?" She asked after he continued to silently gawk at her. She could normally tell exactly what he was thinking at any given moment but with all the fuss of the wedding planning and worrying over the new baby, her mind was in a haze.
"It's just..." His hand scratched at the back of his neck, "I can't believe I'm marrying you."
She let out a flattered laugh, "I can't believe I'm marrying you. The single greatest doctor in L.A."
They shared a moment, both giving giddy grins at one another, until Claire called from the opposite side of the door, "Kate! We have to put the finishing touches on your make-up. What are you doing out there?"
"I gotta go." Kate apologized before hurrying back towards the room. He nodded his understanding, and before she closed the door behind her, she made sure to call over her shoulder, "You look handsome, Jack."
When she walked down the isle a few hours later, Jack couldn't help but drop his jaw in awe at how beautiful she looked. Although he had previously seen her in her dress, seeing her as she walked down the isle, surrounded by all of their loved ones was an entirely different experience.
"You ready for this?" He whispered out as she reached her place next to him under the wedding arch.
She smiled in responce and nodded once, "I've been ready for three years."
"James, this place is amazing." Juliet commented as they strolled up the walkway to their newly purchased house, "I can't believe we're going to live here...Now when did you say Miles is coming to help us unpack?"
"It ain't really unpackin' when ya' got nothin' to unpack." James reflected before answering her question, "Not 'till a couple hours. He's got another date with yer sister tonight. They've been together fer what, couple a' months now?"
She nodded, "It doesn't matter how long they've been going out, I still say they make the strangest couple." She shrugged, "Opposites attract, I suppose."
"Guess so." He agreed as they climbed the steps towards their front door, and as he held out the key, he asked, "Ready to go in yer new home?"
"Our." She corrected as she grabbed his free hand and gave it a squeeze, "And yes, absolutely."
They both beamed as they stepped foot inside the first house they legitimately owned as a couple. Juliet sprinted towards the nearest window to examine the backyard but James pulled her back, "Where do ya' think yer goin'? I want yer first memory in this house ta' be a damn good one."
Confusion overtook her features for an instant, but then she smiled, "Oh, alright, James. Let's go up to the bedroom to see if the old owners left a bed, but if not then - "
"Love the way ya' think, Blondie, but we'll get ta' that later." He snickered, shaking his head, "Fer now, I got somethin' else planned."
"What do you - "
Her mouth went dry once he dropped to one knee and she felt her eyes enlarge to four times their original size, "James...what - are you - "
"Jules, I ain't never had a real best friend - never even had a real friend 'fore dharmaville. But when I got ta' know you, everythin' changed." He began, "We've been through so much together. More than most people go through in a damn lifetime."
"James, I..."
"I ain't done yet." He interjected, "I never thought I'd wanna get hitched, but never thought I'd meet nobody like you neither...I love ya' Jules." He paused to fish out a small box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a large, sparkling, white gold engagement ring.
"S'will ya' marry me?" He asked as she shifted her gaze from his eyes to the ring. She licked her lips and forced herself to swallow before answering, "I'd love to marry you, James." She gave him a long, hard kiss,
"Yes."
He grinned in satisfaction when she broke the kiss, and used his thumb to wipe away her stray tears before carefully removing the ring from the box.
"It's beautiful." Juliet observed as he gently slid it onto her slim finger, "But it must have cost a fortune."
He shrugged, "Cost 'lot more than the one I bought ya' back in the seventies, I'll tell ya' that much."
She smiled down at the jewelry, then asked in awe, "Wait, you were going to propose while we were in the Dharma Initiative?"
"Well, yeah." He ran his hand through his hair, "Guess I never got 'round to it."
She gave a warm smile, overjoyed at the fact that he had wanted to spend his entire life with her back on the island as well as now.
"James, I think it's time we visit our new bedroom."
"Jack, I can't do this." Kate gasped out in tears, "I can't."
"Yes you can." He assured her softly, grabbing her hand and squeezing it gently. He then used his free hand to swipe a fallen piece of hair behind her ear and she whimpered in pain.
"No, Jack." She shook her head hastily, "It's too much."
"Do you remember what story I told you when you were stitching me up?" He asked calmly, almost mimicking the words he had used nearly four years prior.
She nodded her head, of course she remembered, and began to breath out shakily, "One...two...three...four..."
"Kate, it's time." She suddenly heard her female doctor declare from the front of the hospital bed, "You're going to have to push."
She glanced over at her husband, her face overrun with fear, and he squeezed her hand in order to sooth her.
"Five." She finished as she fought through the pain and Jack kept his grip on her hand as she began to push.
It was only a few hours later when Jack planted a kiss on his wife's forehead and looked down at her in admiration, "You did fantastic."
She smiled as she cradled their young son in her arms and breathed out, "I think we should name him David."
"Why that's a lovely name." The nurse interjected as she went to hand Jack their second son, "And what will you be naming David's twin brother?"
"Christian." Jack answered, "After my father."
The nurse scribbled down the two names and Kate commented to her husband, "I don't know how we're going to handle twins."
"You're an amazing mother." He assured her, "We'll be fine."
"I know we will." She beamed up at him before admitting, "I hope they both end up like you."
"Doctors?"
She shook her head, "Gentle, handsome, a hero."
He gave a slight smile but argued, "I'm no hero."
"You saved my life - I'm lost without you." She admitted and although it sounded corny, it was the truth, "I love you, Jack."
"I love you."