Rated: PG-13
Beta Reader: Stacy

Author's "Quickie" Note:
[This will probably be the longest "Quickie" I post, just because it's the beginning.]

Hello to all!

If there are any readers from the previous stories that miraculously showed up to read this continuation please don't hesitate let me know in your review! I'd love to know, although I do realize it's been 4 years since the last story ended so I have no expectations.

To newcomers reading this story, I want to mention that there are 4 stories previous to this one listed in my profile. It's not entirely necessary to read them all before this, except that there may be a few references to events that took place in them. In fact, I know that the first two are complete crap so I don't blame you if you skip them. But if you like, go ahead and catch up then come back to this. Your choice.

Onward to the story now, just a few things...

1. I don't think I will be updating this one as quickly as the last four. Adult life is just much more time consuming than teenage life so I write when I can. So far I have 3 full chapters written and ready to go, and 4 more that are not consecutive and need editing. So please, I beg, bear with me! =)

2. I know this is a very very short introductory chapter, and I apologize but there was no way to lengthen it. It had to happen this way. I promise they all have more length.

3. I realize that the ending-not-ending of "Baby Steps" already has Kate and Sawyer and baby Mason at home and well. However, the introduction to this story is just a little backtracking to kind of help jump back into it, as it's been quite a while. So we took a slight step back and flash backwards, if that makes any sense. If it bothers you that much, feel free to carry on with your web browsing. Otherwise...

Let the games begin. *smirk*

Chapter 1

One week. One long, hellish, never-ending week. When the doctor had first told Sawyer there had been a turn for the worst, he thought that would be it. There would be no happy ending for him, after all. There was only and always the worst. He never thought the worst would mean spending a week driving back and forth to the hospital to see Kate and their son and enduring visitors, both wanted and not, while they were nursed back to health. If that was the worst, he would take it. Because to him, the only 'worst' part of that week was the moment he'd been told. The hours of waiting to find out when this worst would end. And the worst had lasted a day. They had saved Kate. And she was fully awake the next afternoon, reassuring him she was okay. And their healthy baby boy was just that and only kept a few days more for observation because of his premature birth. Even though things always miraculously got better, their life was always filled with the worst. Why shouldn't it be consistent?

Opening the door to his house, Sawyer stepped through to allow Kate to follow him in. He took the overnight bag from her and set it down on the couch. She smiled at him. Normally, she would have protested that she could handle herself but decided just this once to accept it and be glad to be home again. It was the only home she'd ever known to be her own, the only place she'd ever felt safe in. And she loved that. She loved the different smells in each room and the faded walls, even the cracks in the wood floor. She loved the ratty old couch that Sawyer refused to replace, the creaky stairs and the bedroom they led up to that smelled always of Sawyer.

She stood in the doorway, Mason in arms, and looked around, remembering the night she took her first step in that house – the first night she stepped back into Sawyer's life. It had been one of her better decisions, finding her way to his doorstep. Together they'd gone to Hell and back and never let the devil get the better of their relationship; even if temptation reared it's ugly head; even when they gave into it. They still managed to love each other as passionately as the day they'd met. Together they found home, in each other.

"You comin' in or what, Freckles?" Sawyer asked, snapping her out of her trance.

She took a step through the threshold and let out the breath she had been holding. He walked over to her and put an arm around her shoulders, his lips against her ear.

"Welcome home, baby," he whispered to her and kissed her temple.

Home, she thought to herself as she watched him walk to the kitchen. She looked down at Mason who was looking around with wide green-blue eyes that matched hers. Smiling, she sighed.

"Welcome home," she said softly to the baby in her arms.

Sawyer reappeared. He looked around then finally rested his gaze on Kate and Mason.

"Now what?"

And it was a good question.