For Kate Austen, she had finally found peace in her life.

The moment she kissed her husband on the hill that overlooked the valley, she understood finally that she shouldn't question what happened, as much as it didn't make sense. She could see in Richard's eyes he had lived through so many empty lonely years of pain alone with nothing but heartbreak. If he told her he didn't know anything about the bomb…then he must have been telling the truth. Deciding not to question, Kate believed one of two things happened.

Either everything she remembered for those past three years off the island really did happen. They were rescued and she had gone off to raise Aaron and Sydney alone before agreeing to come back and help the others. If by some unexplained way they really did all end up in 1977...then Jack had been right. The bomb had gone off and instead of dying or setting everything back…she woke up here. Maybe what she said was right. Maybe physically she had been on the island and by some strange way the bomb going off made her mentally catch up to where she was. She knew it was far fetched.

The other way was Richard and the others had been in fact telling the truth. She had been in the chopper right after the boat blew and then the fuel began to leak again…even faster. Kate could almost hear the screams and the whooshing sound of the chopper blades slowing as it began to tip. She could see Desmond reaching out for her, his eyes terrified before she fell. Freefalling, she hit the water with so much impact she had blacked out. If fate had taken place, then somehow she washed up on shore alive and that's where Richard found her. Barley alive and miscarrying the second baby she had gotten pregnant with by Desmond. Richard had taken her in and she survived. Nobody came looking for her and maybe…just maybe everyone had been rescued. She made her choice and like Locke became one of them…never leaving the island. That's when she saw Richard was special, and the only one who cared for her. Since then she had been living as his wife.

Whatever had happened, happened. It was over and here she was living a peaceful and happy life with a man who loved her and their child. She prayed it really had all been just a dream. She didn't know why she would question or want to get away from such a blessing of a life she had been given. This wasn't her second chance at life…it was her third.

So she decided to just stop thinking, and for once be happy.

Walking back to camp with Richard, she watched him holding the baby before putting her arm around his neck and drawing him in close.

"I love you."

She whispered.

He smiled back at her before Adam opened his big brown eyes and began to giggle.

Life then seemed to go by in a flash.

The others had finally decided there wasn't any threat left on the island. Nobody had come since, and Locke suspected ever would. They weren't scared anymore and decided the live life the way the island had wanted them to. Locke was a fearless leader and showed them that they shouldn't be wasting their time on such a special place. Instead they should just live.

They moved back to the village shortly within a month.

There Kate suspected she had the happiest years of her life.

Adam slowly began to grow and before they knew it he was talking up a storm and getting bigger. He was walking better now and the newest game had been to run away from them whenever they were outside. Adam was a beautiful child and looked exactly like Richard, even down to his dark eyes. Kate enjoyed being a mother and knew this was the last child she would ever have. Adam became the apple of everyone's eyes in the village, while Kate felt proud to have been so lucky.

Richard loved being a father and whenever he wasn't helping Locke out, or bringing people to the temple he was always with Adam who had fully attached himself to him. Kate always stood on the porch laughing, watching the two of them run around and play. This was a different side of Richard, who had always seemed so mysterious and drawn back. Whenever he was around Adam he didn't seem to care. He would swing him around, have him ride his back, or roll around in the grass with him.

Two women from their camp became pregnant and gave birth to perfectly healthy babies. Jacob had been right…they were starting over.

Time went on, and nothing happened. Just peace.

Kate felt madly in love with Richard now. The two made love nearly every night and laid awake in each other's arms until morning. She loved every part of him and counted herself lucky to be with him. Yet she still worried about what was going to happen to them. She hadn't wanted to bring it up and ruin things. Still…she noticed he still remained the same age as Adam got bigger and bigger. She didn't want her husband and live another day of pain, and hated Jacob for giving him this curse which at first started off as a gift.

Adam turned five, and was a bright eyed boy who Richard thought was brilliant. He loved going outside and playing, jumping in mud piles and exploring the jungle with his father. His hair was always shaggy and in his eyes and he loved to laugh. Kate meanwhile enjoyed her peaceful life at the village. She had a beautiful son, and a husband she was crazy about.

Almost every night she would sit with Richard on her front porch and watch the firebugs come out. There were children now among their people and new life. Everyone for once was happy.

Watching dusk settle in one evening, Richard and Kate watched a ten year old Adam play soccer with two friends of his who were three years younger. The children were laughing and running around. Richard squeezed Kate's hand as they watched, laughing at Adam who played in the distance.

"He's fast."

"Yeah like the wind."

Richard smirked looking at Kate.

"Are you sad he's the only one?"

Kate watched Adam for a moment and the last ten years of having him all played back within her mind in seconds. She had loved raising him. One memory that stuck out was when he was a little under a year and how Richard and Kate had bathed him in one of the streams. How the baby giggled as Richard playfully splashed Kate. She remembered when Adam was two and how he would throw himself on the ground and begin crying whenever Richard left his sight. She remembered him coloring when he was four in their living room and how Kate stood back watching him in wonder.

Now their son was ten, in just a few more years he wouldn't be a boy anymore. Kate felt a love so strong for her son it seemed dangerous. She knew she would die for him.

Kate sighed watching him.

"I would have had ten with you Richard…but if Adam is our only one, then that was meant to be."

"Ever wish you had a daughter, one that looked like you?"

Kate smiled at Richard.

"Naw, Adam is my child…and he's special. You can see that can't you?"

"Of course…having him has been the happiest time of my very long life."

"You're an amazing father."

Richard looked over, and smiled.

Kate remembered when Adam was still a baby and how she had woken up one night in their tent to see Richard kneeling beside the crib. Kate watched in silence as moonlight spilled through the tiny holes on the tent's sides. She saw Richard smiling and watching the sleeping baby before leaning over and kissing Adam's little hand.

She remembered when Adam was seven and how he had fallen while climbing a tree and how Richard had fixed up his scraped knee and gave him a chocolate bar to make him feel better. She remembered all those times on the beach, when he taught him how to swim and how to make things in the sand.

Richard smiled kissing Kate's hand.

"And you're an amazing mother."

Kate smiled at Richard watching her son, feeling very proud and the happiest she had ever been.

She then thought of Sydney for a second, She would have been fifteen now.

Just then Adam ran over, huffing and out of breath. His bangs in his eyes while smiling.

"Mom! Dad! Watch me kick a goal!"

They watched, and felt that dangerous overwhelming love for their son again.

That night while Kate was brushing her hair in front of her vanity, Richard sat up in bed reading. Kate paused before leaning in close to the mirror and looking at her reflection.

"Richard?"

Richard looked up from behind his glasses.

"Yeah?"

"Do you see any lines on me…"

Richard smiled before going back down to his book.

"None, you're perfect."

Kate meanwhile stared at the mirror slightly confused. That night as she curled up in bed with Richard, he put his arms around her and the two of them laid in the darkness. Staring up at the ceiling, Kate began to wonder why now at the age of thirty-seven, she still looked as though she hadn't aged a day.

The truth would finally come out at Adam's 17th birthday.

Time on the island seemed to have gone by in just the blink of an eye. Adam was now slowly growing into a handsome young man. Kate still couldn't believe Richard and her only son was now a teenager. Adam grew tall, and had a very handsome and direct face. His eyebrows were thick, and his hair was a dark blackish brown. He was becoming taller then both Richard and Kate, and slowly began building muscle. Kate often joked that she was scared to see what would happen of the two of them tried to ground him after he past six feet.

Still, Adam was a gentle kind young man who Kate loved with all her heart. He was so much like his father. He was friendly and a natural leader. Most of his friends were a few years younger but he always seemed to have a sense of adventure. He loved exploring the island, and swimming in the ocean. Richard and Kate had noticed he even caught the interest of Cindy's daughter Lee. Kate loved waking up every morning and having breakfast with Adam. The two would sit at the kitchen table as he went on and on about how he would help his father out and then go hiking up the hills. Adam was full of live and somehow always seemed to look up and be thankful for whatever life gave him. He always joked around and seemed very easy going as he stood out with his own certain way about him. He took so much after Richard it wasn't even funny. Adam loved the island and made Kate proud he was her son.

But Kate began to notice something.

Everyone at the camp was slowly getting older. She saw laugh lines and wrinkles spread across her friends' faces as their children grew older. She saw Locke was getting older and the color of his eyebrows were now gray. Most of the energy now was the new generation of children. Almost every night Kate would look at herself closely in the mirror, trying to see the slightest change.

But there wasn't.

Just a few months ago she smelled something odd in the shampoo bottle she was using/ She noticed a few gray hairs coming in her head…but that was it. For a woman who was slowly climbing towards fifty, she still looked almost exactly the same. Richard shrugged it off, saying it was nothing but good genes. That the island was better for everyone and maybe that was the reason she was aging so well. But as soon as Kate began sneaking in a different shampoo each night she noticed the gray finally washing out and her hair returning to the dark brown it used to be.

Her face and body weren't changing at all. Richard and her stayed exactly the same.

The night before Adam's 17th birthday, as Kate walked along the beach it finally hit her all at once. How could she have been so stupid? Freezing, she drew in a quick breath as her eyes widened.

Richard would never…he promised.

That's when she marched home. The village now looked perfectly. The lush green lawns all nicely cut. Fruit growing from trees, and young children with sparklers running around laughing.

On her way to the house she saw Adam and Lee sitting by one of the fire places.

"Hi mom!"

Kate looked over at her handsome son and felt her heart begin to thump harder. Forcing a smile she returned a wave before going straight into the house.

"RICHARD!"

Richard was in the living room looking over maps. Dressed in slacks and his dark navy blue shirt he looked exactly the same way she first laid eyes on him nearly twenty years ago. Richard took his glasses off and looked up at her concerned.

"Kate what's wrong?"

Kate grabbed a small mirror that sat on one of the book shelf's and brought it over to Richard.

"Why don't I look forty-four?"

Richard raised an eyebrow looking at the mirror.

"Kate what are you…"

"Answer the question Richard! Why are some of the women who are younger then me getting gray hair and wrinkles? Why do I look exactly the same!"

Richard stared up at her before taking a deep breath.

"Because you'll always be this way."

Kate dropped the mirror, shattering on the wood floor by her feet. Her mouth opened but no words came out. Richard stared up at her before sighing.

"You were dying when you gave birth to Adam, right in my own arms…I couldn't loose you so I brought you to Jacob."

Kate's hand went to her mouth, she felt the room begin to spin.

"What did you do Richard?"

"I did it for you Kate, he promised me nothing would happen and there you were dying…I couldn't be about you so he did what he did to me. It's a gift Kate can't you see? We'll never be alone ever again…we'll be together."

Kate shook her head.

"No…you promised me you wouldn't do this. You knew I didn't want it!"

"But Kate you would of died…"

"I would of rather died! I don't wanna live forever Richard!"

"But you won't be alone, it will be the two of us. We'll be together on this island forever."

Kate stepped back, feeling tears build behind her eyes.

"What about Adam? We're just going to watch our son grow old and die?"

"We could make him like us…maybe that girl Lee…"

"NO!"

Richard looked at her as Kate began to shake all over.

"Don't you dare touch him! You hear me! You fucking monster! Don't ever touch him!"

"Kate…"

But before he could say another word Kate ran out the door, tears spinning down her cheeks. Running towards the campfire, Adam stood up his eyes concerned.

"Mom what's wrong?"

"Come on Adam! Let's go!"

Before he could say another word, Kate grabbed his hand and pulled him away. Lee stood back confused as did the others. Locke meanwhile sat back watching, slowly shaking his head.

"Mom what's wrong?"

Adam asked as Kate ran with him into the darkness of the jungle. She tried to control her tears but couldn't seem to stop. Holding hands with her tall son, they went down the hill and into the jungle without even a torch.

"Mom stop!"

"Come on Adam!"

They kept running for the next fifteen or so minutes before stopping at the beach. The moon was out and it looked beautiful. Stopping, in the sugar colored sand Kate gasped for breath while Adam stood beside her breathing heavy and looking around.

"Mom why are we on the beach? What happened?"

Kate looked up at Adam, trying her hardest not to cry.

"Adam we need to leave this island."

"What?!"

"We need to find some way to leave, you're father did a horrible thing…he isn't the man you think he is."

"Mom what are you talking about?"

Just then Kate froze.

"Shhhh!"

Adam and Kate looked out into the darkness of the ocean as a small green blinking light in the distance flashed. It was far away…but Kate still saw it.

"Mom what is it?"

"Shhhh!"

Her eyes widened before a smile spread across her face.

"It's a boat."

Adam turned, completely shocked and looked at his mother.