"Come on sweetheart, no need to stall."
Kate desperately wanted to see one of her friends. She recognized several passengers while moving down the ail, before the marshal informed one of the stewardess that they would take the back exit due to Kate's restraints. Shoving Kate along, she stepped out into the blinding sunlight and squinted before heading down the steps.
She had never seen something so beautiful before in her entire life.
There was Los Angeles, standing before her.
Jack had been right.
Kate smiled.
"I wouldn't be smiling if I were you…your on your way to a nice long haul in prison."
"Excuse me sir?"
A voice came from Kate's left ear, making her freeze in her tracks and gasp. The marshal stopped before Kate and him turned.
Richard stood there, wearing a black suit.
"Edward Mars?"
Kate stood there speechless, staring at him as he walked over. It seemed as though it had been years since the last time she looked at him. Right away her heart slowly began to ache. Now looking at him, she thought of how selfish she was. How she would of really spent eternity beside him. Did everything she saw within the blink of an eye happen? She didn't know.
"Yes? You who may you be?"
"Lt. Richard Alpert head of national security."
Kate saw Mars blink before Richard held up his badge.
"What's this all about?"
"I have a full pardon here…from the US supreme court on a Kate Anne Austen."
"A what?!"
"The paperwork is right here, I was sent to inform you in person the moment you landed."
Kate felt as if she was going to faint as Mars grabbed the paperwork and began reading it over in disbelief. Kate's eyes drifted up over to Richard before he quickly winked at her. Right away Kate knew…
He remembered her.
"Diane Austen signed this."
"She came to the FBI just hours ago claming her second husband beat her and had raped her on several occasions. Kate was just protecting her, as for the rest of her track record the supreme court rules her a full pardon. She will have to show up to court in three weeks…but besides that all matters are taken care of."
"The hell they are!"
Right away Mars began going off on Richard who simply listened with a very calm and amused look on his face. Mars took his cell phone out and began making calls as Richard slowly walked over.
"Richard?"
"Hello Kate, I take it you had a safe flight."
"Oh my God…Richard…"
His hands went over, gently touching her sore wrists that were red from the cuffs. Smiling at her, their eyes locked.
"Did it happen Richard…did everything happen?"
"You saw a life that could of happened. But the end result on the island always ended the same way. Jack and you guys changed that. There's a balance now…you changed your destiny."
"But everything that happened…Adam…"
Richard smiled as Mars paced back and forth screaming into his cell phone.
"He doesn't exist Kate…he's never been born."
Kate couldn't control the tears that were now rolling down her face.
"But…"
Richard touched the side of her face, wiping away a tear with his thumb.
"Your alive Kate, so isn't everyone else…look."
Richard pointed to the glassed in hallway as the passengers slowly made their way into the airport. She could clearly see some people. Eko, Libby, Ana Lucia, Boone, Shannon, and Charlie. They all walked by, carrying their bags undisturbed and unaware Kate was watching them.
Her eyes filled with more tears.
"Their alive…"
"And their life's will now be happy…you gave them all the greatest gift of all…life."
"But…"
"Don't worry about them, it's now up to them if they want to change and keep going. The only thing that matters if that you all gave them a second chance."
Kate watched her friends disappear into the airport.
"Sydney?"
Kate thought of her beautiful daughter, Richard simply shook his head.
"She doesn't exist either."
Kate bit down on her bottom lip trying to control herself before Mars walked over, his face bright red and outraged.
"This isn't the last of this! You hear me!"
"I'll drive Kate from here…thanks Mars."
Mars looked at Richard fuming, before staring at Kate.
"This isn't the last of it…remember that!"
Turning, he marched away. Richard dryly laughed watching him go. Turning back to Kate, he produced a key from his pocket and undid her cuffs.
"You're free now Kate."
Kate rubbed her sore wrists looking at him.
"I am?"
Richard nodded.
"It's now up to you to live your life."
"But the island…"
"Well let's just say since the bomb happened, we've changed a few things."
"Hello Kate."
Kate saw Locke walking over, dressed nicely and walking.
"John?"
Locke smiled.
"I take it everything went as planned."
Kate looked at him, unable to even think.
"But…"
"I never was on flight 815...let's just say when the bomb went off I was taken to a wonderful and mysterious place that badly needed a leader."
"But Ben…"
"I wouldn't worry about him. This was my destiny…I belong there Kate. Everything is now unwritten and undone. I'm going to make sure nobody ever finds it again…and that the people living there can finally find peace."
"You remember then?"
"Oh yes…it's been a hard struggle to finally get here, but it's all finished."
"Kate!"
Kate turned.
Sayid, Hurley, Sawyer, and Jack were running towards them. The moment she saw them she burst into fresh tears. They all remembered, they knew what had happened.
Before she could say another word they all nearly tackled there. Laughing she gathered all her friends in her arms.
"It worked! It worked!"
Hurley said laughing. Kate held onto them smiling through her tears.
"I did…"
Jack stared at her before grabbing her and lifting her off the ground. Holding him tight, Kate laughed and kissed his cheek. Sawyer hugged her as well before his name was called.
"James?"
Sawyer froze.
Juliet stood beside Locke, a slight smile across her face. Sawyer's eyes widened before he ran over.
"JULIET!"
Grabbing her, he kissed her as hard as he could, laughing through his tears. Juliet laughed holding onto him.
"How did you survive?!"
"I don't know…one second I was at the bottom of that shaft trying to hit that stupid bomb with a rock…next thing I know I'm in this nice sundress riding to the airport with Richard and Locke."
Sawyer laughed, holding her and kissing the top of her head.
Sayid stared at Richard and Locke, a smile on his face.
"How come we all remember."
"Because fate wanted it that way…you changed everything…now you all have a second chance."
Locke said.
Sayid then looked up at the airport.
"The others?"
"Whoever wasn't there when the bomb went off will never remember."
"Claire?"
"Very much pregnant…her mother is waiting for her at the gate."
"Charlie?"
"Grabbing his luggage at this exact moment…in fact I think he's helping a pretty blond pregnant woman lift her bags…who knows. "
"Dude I'm on it…I need to pretend to be one of his fans and convince him to stop with the hard partying."
They all laughed as Hurley smiled.
"Hurley…I think Charlie will be okay."
"Really?"
Locke nodded.
"In fact I think everyone will be okay…they all lived for a reason."
Jack stared up at the airport.
"Still…I want to see my sister."
Locke smiled.
"And you should. This is your second chance people…make sure it counts."
Sayid smiled.
"I think before I go I'll pay a visit to Boone and Shannon…I just want to see them."
"I think that would be nice."
Hurley smiled.
"Yeah…I wanna say hello to Libby. She won't know who I am…but at least I can see her."
Hurley smiled, shifting his feet as Sawyer kept kissing Juliet.
"The island?"
"Undisturbed…we have ourselves a new leader, who will make sure it's never going to be found again."
Richard said as Locke smiled proudly.
"Amen to that Locke, way to go."
Sawyer said smiling before looking down at Juliet.
"Say…how about we visit my sister and her son? I think she would be real happy to see me."
Sawyer smiled.
"And I sure would like to meet her."
Kissing again, Kate watched and couldn't help but feel so overjoyed she could hardly stand it.
"Will we ever see each other again?"
"Someday…I'm sure of it."
"Then…that's it?"
Locke smiled.
"That's it. Live your life's…and never forget."
Hurley looked at everyone, slightly uneasy.
"Listen…I'm not really good with goodbyes, and I don't wanna miss Charlie and Libby…but listen you all know where to find me. I'm buying dinner."
Everyone laughed before Sayid clapped Hurley on the shoulder.
"Sounds like a fine idea, I'll join you."
The two of them headed back to the airport quickly. Sawyer, holding Juliet tightly looked at Kate and smiled.
"See you later freckles."
Kate smiled before looking at Juliet.
"Thank you."
Juliet smiled.
"You're very welcome Kate."
With that they turned and began walking away together.
Locke then smiled before shaking Kate and Jack's hands.
"So your going back?
"It's my home now…where I can finally find peace. I'll never forget you all…"
"Thanks John…we'll never forget either."
John smiled before heading towards the car.
"No…I don't think you will."
All that remained was Jack, Kate, and Richard.
Jack turned towards Kate, trying his hardest to find the right words.
"Kate…"
Kate leaned over before softly kissing his cheek and leaning in close.
"Go say hello to your sister…and go live your life. You deserve it."
"Kate…"
She shook her head.
"Thank you…"
Kissing him again, Jack held onto her tightly trying to control his own tears before nodding. Kissing her back, Jack wiped his eyes.
"I'll love you Kate…I always will."
Within seconds Kate and Richard watched Jack slowly walk back to the airport. Kate sniffled in watching him.
"We he be okay?"
"He'll find his own happiness…I suppose there's a woman…a very special woman who will be entering his life again shortly…"
"Really?"
"Achara. They haven't spoken in a very long time…but she'll be arriving to the states soon to look for him."
"Will he be happy?"
"I think much like Locke he's finally let himself go from the guilt of his father. He knows he loved him…and he knows he was the reason who you'll all here. He'll live the rest of his life a very happy man."
Kate smiled.
"That's good."
Kate watched Jack disappear before looking up at Richard, tears falling from her eyes.
"I have a favor to ask…"
"Anything Kate."
"I need to see someone."