The roaring of the ocean sung to her like a lullaby. Kate closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the sand beneath her, the sun above her, and the warmth of Jack's body so close to her own as they lay on the beach.

"I don't want this to end." Kate murmured.

Jack's arm tightened around her waist. "But it has to." Jack whispered in her ear.

Kate opened her eyes and leaned out of Jack's embrace slightly, turning her head to face his. For a moment she was stunned by his handsome features. Her hand reached up to feel the scruff of his beard. "What if it doesn't have to?"

"Kate." Jack put his hand over her own and gently lifted it off of his face and set it back down in the sand, but not letting go.

"What?"

"Kate!"

Kate shook her head. "No."

"Kate! Wake up!"

Kate squeezed her eyes tightly, her hands grabbing not Jack's hand, but the bed sheets. Her heart sunk. She wasn't back on the beach with Jack. She was in her house.

"Kate!"

Kate reluctantly opened her eyes to find Claire's staring at her anxiously.

"You've been sleeping almost fourteen hours! You told me you were taking a nap!" Claire yelled at her.

Kate sat up and rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry," She took her hands away from her face and realized she was crying. Again.

"Oh Kate." Claire sat beside her on the king size bed and took Kate's hand in her own.

"I'm fine, really." Kate tried to smile, failing miserably.

"Maybe.. maybe you should see someone." Claire suggested. For the tenth time that week.

They had gotten off the island almost a month ago. Claire and Aaron moved in with Kate in her house back in L.A. It had been Kate's idea, but now she was wondering if it had been a bad idea. The house reminded her too much of Jack. Too much of their life together with Aaron. It was hard enough seeing Claire become a mother to her son again.

"No." Kate shook her head. "I'm fine, really." She repeated again.

"What are we going to do?" Claire asked, mostly to herself.

"What time is it?" Kate asked as she forced herself out of bed. She realized she had been in the same pajamas for over two days now. She couldn't even remember the last time she left the house.

Claire got out of bed and began making it. Ever since they got back she always made a point to make the beds. "It's ten."

"Oh, that's not too bad." Kate rubbed her head and yawned. She moved to the closet for her robe.

"Ten pm." Claire said. "Your schedule is all messed up Kate."

Kate tied her robe around her and turned the light off in the closet before she saw Jack's clothes hanging on the opposite side from hers. She had never moved them after Jack left. And he had never come back for them.

The first time she noticed them she had grabbed his dark blue shirt, one of her favorites, and sat down in the middle of the closet and just cried as she buried her face in it. Aaron had found her there and he tried to console her by sitting in her lap. He called her mommy, which made her cry all the more.

"What's wrong Mommy?" Aaron asked, tugging on Kate's hair gently.

"Nothing baby." Kate murmured. She knew she was supposed to correct Aaron. Tell him that she was Aunt Kate now, but she just couldn't do it. Not this time.

Aaron noticed she didn't correct him, and he snuggled deeper into her and she wrapped him up in her arms, along with the blue shirt. Aaron's hand grabbed the shirt, and he smiled at Kate.

Claire had found them there but decided to let them be. She was jealous of their bond, the bond of a mother and son, one that was hard to break. Kate had been great though, understanding. She had sat Aaron down and explained to him that Claire was his real mom, and she was his aunt. It went well until Aaron asked about Jack, and that was when Claire had to take over.

Kate stepped out of the closet and back into her bedroom, where the bed was made.

"Did you hear me Kate?" Claire asked, concerned.

"What?"

"It's ten o'clock at night." Claire repeated.

"Oh." Kate said absentmindedly. "I didn't even…" she trailed off.

Suddenly, Aaron's cries were heard from across the house, and Claire looked at Kate. "I'll be back."

Kate followed her and watched from the door as Claire comforted Aaron.

"It was only a bad dream." Claire murmured as she held her son against her.

The blonde boy looked up from his mother's shoulder and met Kate's eyes.

Kate smiled at him halfheartedly and he closed his eyes and returned his head to Claire's shoulder.

Kate sighed and stepped out of the doorway and into the hall. She leaned against the wall, fighting the memories and tears that were threatening to fall.

"I'm so glad that you changed your mind." She whispered as she closed her eyes, thinking of a memory from long ago.

"Me too." It was like she could hear Jack's voice as if he was there.

Kate opened her eyes to find Jack's staring back at her.

"Jack?" Kate's brow furrowed in confusion.

Jack smiled and put his hand to her face.

"You're not real." Kate stated.

"No." He looked down sadly.

"Then why am I seeing you?" she asked.

"Because you need to move on."

'I can't" Kate shook her head. "I need you. I miss you so much."

"I know. I miss you too."

"Kate?"

Kate looked to her right to find Claire staring at her questioningly.

Kate looked at Jack again, only to find that he was gone. She sighed.

It was the first of many times she would see him.

A/N: Please review! I'm a little rusty, but I just had to write this. Would you like to see a chapter from Claire's point of view or would you like me to keep it in Kate's point of view? I'm open to suggestions!