Chapter Sixteen: Kate's Freedom

Kate wondered why she was still there. She wondered why, after everything she had figured out, she was still at Locke's camp, folding laundry with Claire. The baby was sleeping soundly, Claire was talking to her, but Kate didn't hear her. She was still remembering what had happened the previous night when she had gotten the chance to talk to Miles.

She had found him in the boathouse, just like Hurley had said, but he wasn't willing to talk. Not without something in return. Kate hardly thought he was in any position to be making deals, as he was tied up in the boathouse without any kind of potential of being freed, but he told Kate he would tell her everything she wanted to know, if she let him see Ben.

Well, Kate wasn't sure how that was going to happen. Locke was holding Ben captive in his basement. How was she supposed to help Miles?

But Kate needed Miles to tell her what they knew about her. What they knew could make or break Kate's decision to stay or to leave. That was why she was staying behind. Even though it seemed ridiculously impossible to get Miles and Ben together, she knew that was the only way she would learn the truth. And the truth meant a lot to her.

Still, she thought of Violet too, who had most likely made it back to the beach by now with Jack and Juliet. She tried to distance herself from thinking about Violet's cold shoulder when they returned. Kate would have to explain things, but knowing Violet, she wouldn't be too understanding right away. Violet had experienced too many people leaving in her life. With her mom and sister passing away, her father's apparent suicide and Walt being taken back to the real world with his father, Violet was no doubt feeling abandoned by many people, and for Kate to leave her behind with no promise as to when she would be back, well, she wasn't looking forward to it, to say the least.

Kate's thoughts were interrupted when the baby began to cry. Kate blinked, and realized where she was and what she was doing. She felt bad for not having heard anything Claire had been saying. She turned and smiled at Claire, who had an armful of clothes to hang. She looked at Aaron and then at Kate.

"Oh Kate, can you get him, please?" Claire asked. Kate's stomach sank as she looked at the crying baby hesitantly.

"Uh..."

"What's wrong?" Claire asked. Kate swallowed, feeling nervous. She had never been good with kids.

"It's just...well, I'm not so good with babies." She breathed out, looking at Aaron. "I don't want to make him more upset." Claire offered her a smile.

"Sure, no problem." She handed Kate her pile of clothes and reached down into Aaron's little basket, lifting the small bundle up into her arms. Aaron immediately began to settle down a little.

"Is he okay?" Kate asked. Claire smiled.

"Oh yeah, he's fine, he just can't stand being left out of a conversation." She grinned.

Kate smiled at her.

"Wow, you're so good with him." She said. Claire giggled a little with a roll of her eyes. Kate was surprised.

"What?" She inquired. Claire shrugged.

"It's just kind of funny. You know the last thing I ever thought I'd be good at was being a mum." She admitted, holding Aaron's hand and rocking him. He cooed in response. "You should try it some time." Kate looked up with wide eyes.

"What me? Be a mom? Yeah, okay." She said with a laugh. Claire smiled and shrugged.

"Oh come on, look at the way you are with Violet. I mean, I know she's older and everything, but she's still a kid. The way you take care of her, and have been since we crashed, I don't know Kate, I think you'd make a good mum." She confessed.

Claire went back to rocking Aaron back to sleep and Kate sighed. Truth be told, she never did understand what drew her to look out for Violet. She had never liked kids, and a teenager no less. There had just been something about Violet that called out to Kate. She needed Kate, and Kate had to help her. It just came as second nature now.

Which was probably why it was killing her so much to imagine Violet's anger at her.

2006...part 4

After Violet gave her testimony on the stand, she left through the backdoors. She couldn't stay, no matter how much she wanted to, it was too hard. After talking about the island, after months of not, it was hard to deal with. But worse than that, she couldn't bear to stick around to hear Jack's testimony, or worse, the verdict. What was she going to do if Kate was sentenced to life in prison? What about Aaron? Would they really send Violet back to Australia to become a foster kid? The thought made Violet want to scream. After everything they had been through, she couldn't bear the thought of having to go back to the one place where memories of her sister were everywhere. She needed to be with Kate, close to Hurley, close to Jack. These people were all she had left - she couldn't lose that.

She arrived home, and asked Veronica if she would stay just a little longer. She wasn't exactly in the mood to take care of a baby, not today. Veronica agreed, and after asking if Violet was going to be alright, Violet said she would and barricaded herself in her room where she let the tears finally flow.

2006...part 5

Kate was free. She couldn't believe that. Free! After all that time on the run from the law before the crash, and after all these trials, she was free to go. Of course, it wasn't because of Violet's character witness, or even Jack's. It came from the most unexpected of places. Her own mother, the one who had disowned her and rejected her had come to her aid and agreed not to testify against her. The DA had cut a deal with her from that. She could go free, as long as she stayed put for 10 years. She was on a 10-year-probation. Kate took it gladly, wanting nothing more for this to be over. She had Aaron to think about, and Violet. She wasn't going anywhere. Violet had dealt with enough, with this trial going on. Kate wanted to end it, not only for herself, but for Violet and Aaron as well.

Kate took a taxi home, and entered the house with a quiet "hello." She knew nobody would be expecting her. Violet was probably outside playing soccer while the baby napped, so Kate was surprised when Veronica came into the foyer to greet her.

"Hey Kate!" Veronica greeted her with a huge hug. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"Yeah everything worked out." Kate was distracted. "Is Violet here?" Normally if Violet was around, Veronica wasn't. Violet was always willing to take care of Aaron if she could.

"She asked me to stay. I think she was upset about your trial. She said she just wanted to be alone. She's in her room." Veronica replied.

"And Aaron? Did you keep him away from the television?" Kate asked.

"Yes. I just put him down for his nap." Veronica said. Kate smiled, and headed up the stairs to find her baby. She walked into his blue bedroom and found the little boy just falling asleep, in that state between complete wakefulness and dead asleep. He opened his eyes when he saw her and Kate felt tears erupting. She was free, she wouldn't have to worry about losing them again.

"Hi mommy." Aaron said in a quiet groggy voice. Kate took him in her arms and engulfed him in a hug. She clung to him as though letting go would be the end of it.

"Hi Aaron." Kate whispered, holding him close. She just held him, until she heard a creak in the floor. She turned around and there was Violet, standing in the doorway, staring at Kate with surprised eyes. Kate smiled.

"Hey Violet." She said quietly, placing Aaron quietly back in his bed, where he drifted in minutes. Kate joined Violet in the doorframe.

"What happened?" Violet whispered, still surprised to see Kate. Kate smiled.

"I'm free. No jailtime, just ten years probation, and I can't leave the state." She replied. Violet breathed out, tears in her eyes, but she tried to look away, as though they weren't really there but Kate had already seen them.

"I don't care, I'm just glad it's over." She hugged Kate then and Kate squeezed her tight, glad to be home, and glad she would never have to worry about anything like this again.

"Me too." She agreed.

"I'm sorry I went against you. I know you didn't want me to testify, but I had to. I had to do something! I couldn't just sit here and watch your trial on tv without making an effort to do something." Violet confessed as she pulled away from Kate.

"I really should think things through before I ask you not to do something. You're so stubborn, you're just going to do it anyway." Kate said with a bit of smile. But Violet didn't smile, she was serious.

"This was different. The stakes were higher. I wasn't going to just sit around and watch you go to jail, Kate. Aaron needs you." She paused then, and looked away with tears in her eyes, before she whispered, "I need you."