After pulling myself up out of the submarine for the last time, It was a little disorienting to see a bustling civilization-something none of us had seen for the past three years. I could sense this was going to be an interesting transition for all of us.
"Juliet." Jack waved me over to the end of the dock where he was standing next to a man in uniform. He was about the same age as Jack, although a little more well-shaven. "Allow me to introduce you to Dr. Juliet Burke. Juliet was one of the doctors who helped us out a lot on the island."
"General." I addressed, shaking his weathered hands with a firm grip."
"Another doctor. Just how many did you have on the island?"
"Not enough." Jack countered with a slight smile, not giving up the information. "Actually, I'm not really sure how many we had."
"Well, it looks like you all have quite the story to tell." The general addressed the gathering crowd of survivors. Beyond those who had made it back was a gathering of curious spectators who were filming on their phones.
"That's a story we've decided to keep between us. What we can tell you is our plane crashed. We did what we had to do to survive on the island."
"Understood. Where is home for all of you?"
"Los Angeles, California." Jack offered up first, looking in my direction. I realized it was more because I was pressing my hand to my stomach. Not because it hurting much anymore but more because realization was setting in that I had actually made it off the island when I didn't think I would.
"Miami, Florida." I stated, pushing my hand back to my side. I could tell Jack was trying to get my attention, but I ignored it as the next person responded to the General's question.
"Ames, Iowa." Kate said softly. I could tell she was thinking of her past life. I wondered if she would go back there or somewhere else now that she and Jack seemed to be together.
"Jasper, Alabama." James stated, shifting his gaze to the General.
"Sydney, Australia." Claire was standing in the first row. She looked a little more rested and more like herself as she stood next to Charlie, and Aaron who was fast asleep on his shoulder.
"Manchester, England." Charlie put his free arm around her in kind of a protective way that only we understood after everything we had been through. I knew it was also to help hold her up if she suddenly got sick from her pregnancy.
"Glasgow, Scotland." Desmond piped up from the back. It was truly amazing how many different places we came from, and yet we had all made it back here.
"Tikrit, Iraq." Sayid mentioned as the young Lieutenant standing behind the General raised his eyebrow in awe.
"Namhae, South Korea." Jin straightened his shoulders as he nodded at the General in mutual respect.
"Seoul, Korea." Sun took her turn, her voice weary at the long journey she had endured. She looked absolutely drained. I didn't blame her. The longer we stood here, the more I was feeling the same way.
"Newport Beach, California." Libby went next, always staying huddled next to Hurley, who was then the last survivor to respond to the General's inquiry.
"Miami, Florida."
"I know you're all itching to get home, so we will help get you to where you're going. Please let us help you make accommodations to where you're going. We'll work on getting you all back home safely."
"How are you holding up?" Sawyer came to walk beside me, Kate and Jack joined a few seconds later, both just as curious to know.
"Better than I thought I would be. I want to get home just as much as all of you want to."
"Nowhere else I'd rather be. Although I'm not really sure where home is going to be yet."
"Do you think there's a catch to all of this?" Kate pointed out, lowering her voice as they walked past a bunch of military personnel. ""I mean who just lets a bunch of survior's go without finding anything out?"
"I suppose we don't stick around to find out."
My heart pounded as I stood in front of my sister's apartment about an hour later. Although I was pretty certain she would always live in the same place, even all these years later.
"Mom, someone's at the door." A little boy mentioned from inside the apartment.
"Okay, I've got it. Go finish getting dressed." The lock clicked open.
"Juliet?" It took her a few seconds before recognition set in. She looked me over, shock in her eyes as I stood there in the doorway. "Where have you been all this time?"
"It's a long story. One I really don't want to get into right now."
"Mom, I'm dressed."
"Julian, I want you to meet somebody."
"She looks like you."
"That's because she's my sister."
"You mean, Aunt Juliet?"
"You told him about me?" This time it was my turn to be surprised.
"Of course I told him about you. You're my sister." Rachel was looking at me like I was crazy. "He was named after you."
"I still can't believe I missed all this. He's so big."
"You're here now. Sit down." She motioned her right hand towards the blue couch in the middle of the living room.
"It's the same way I remember it."
"After you left, I couldn't seem to change a thing except for the toys and books." Her eyes went towards a small bookshelf in the corner, next to the TV. On the other wall nearby sat a chest that was stained dark, the same color as the shelf.
"You hungry? Thirsty?"
"No, thank honestly just feels a little weird right now. I think it's going to take a little while before I readjust to a more normal life. What?"
"I feel like I'm dreaming." Rachel pinched her arm as Julian sat down beside his mom while kicking his bare feet against the couch.
"You and me both."
"Am I allowed to ask how you got back here?"
"Submarine and a police car."
"Submarine." Rachel pondered what her sister was telling her. I could tell she was then pondering on my last words as her eyes grew big. "You're not in trouble are you?"
"No. The police were there to escort us to wherever we needed to go. We have to check in later once we get settled."
"Who is us?"
"The other survivors."
"How many other survivors?"
"I didn't count, but if I had to guess at least fifteen."
"I have so many questions right now."
"Which I'll answer later. Right now, you wouldn't mind if I used the bathroom?"
"No, go ahead." Although I knew this apartment like the back of my hand, it was also a place I hadn't been in for the past three years. Somehow I still walked right to it and grasped at the counter as I lifted up my shirt.
"Juliet, you okay?" Rachel knocked on the door a few minutes later. I had let out a series of groans as I pulled off the soaked bandage and wrapped it up in toilet paper so it wouldn't be as visible when I threw it into the trash can.
"Yeah. I'll be out in a few minutes. Jack had given me a few extras I had pocketed before parting ways, but that meant I would also have to make sure to follow up with a doctor to get more. Flushing the toilet, stuffing the paper down into the can and washing my hands I opened the door to see Rachel standing near the end of the hall checking up on Julian.
"You planning to stay?" She looked at me with some curiosity, as I tugged my shirt down a litlte further."You know, this apartment is still half yours."
"This apartment can no longer fit the three of us."
"It can. I can convert the office to my room." She walked to the next room over and opened the door to where all my belongings had been piled up in the closet "That's where I put a lot of your belongings anyway. I never really believed you were gone like everyone else said." I recognized the bed and sat down on it. "I have your sheets in a box somewhere." She went digging through the boxes which revealed a bunch of my old t-shrits and pants neatly folded. "Here we go."
"I can't believe you kept all this."
"All your dress shirts and pants are hanging up, just like you like it." Getting up from the bed, I kneeled in front of the box. She went about fitting the sheet over the mattress as I pulled out a black shirt and held it in my hands. It felt so soft compared to the clothes we had been given on the island. I then moved the slightly heavy box over and dug through to find some bras and underwear under more t-shirts and pajama pants. "Everything is clean. I just washed everything again last week." Standing up with the shirt clasped in my hand, I threw my arms around her neck.
"Thank you."
"I am so glad you're home." She hugged me tighter, tears stinging my eyes. "Please don't leave me again."
"I'm not planning on leaving any time soon." I swiped at the tear running down my cheek.
"Good, because if you tell me you met somebody, I don't know what I would do. I just got you back" Jerking my head up, I had a slightly wild look in my eyes as I searched over her to see if any signs that she was joking. Her face fell slightly, her eyebrow raised as she looked me over. "I'm kidding. Sort of."