Part 374: Happily Ever After

Hurley coughed as he walked through the hallways toward Joscelyn’s room. He had just got finished eating some breakfast and wasn’t sure how she would react to the news he was about to tell her. He figured he could probably handle it better on a full stomach, considering he hadn’t eaten in the last nine hours.

The cops were no longer at her room and Derek and Paige had left for the evening. They would probably be back shortly. Hurley quietly opened the room and looked in. Joscelyn was gently sleeping on her hospital bed. The large man took a deep breath and stepped into the room, closing the door. He slowly walked over to her bed and sat down. He stared at her for a few seconds, trying to hold back his tears. He loved her so much. He was under the assumption she knew but did she know what he would do for her? He promised her the stars and if he could, he would deliver. Hurley calmly turned his head and held his eyes with his hand, trying to hold his emotions in.

Joscelyn then slowly woke up. She turned her head and saw that Hurley was sitting on her bed. The young woman smiled, raising her hand and rubbing his arm. “Hey,” she grinned.

“Hey,” he said, sniffing.

“Where have you been? I was worried about you.”

“You . . .were worried . . about me?” he asked, confused.

“I didn’t mean what I said, Hurley,” she said, still rubbing his arm, “I was upset . . .and probably on pain killers at the time. You know I love you. I don’t blame you for what happened. Please don’t be mad at me.”

Hurley chuckled slightly as the tears flowed down his cheeks. “How could I ever be mad at you?” he smiled.

“Don’t cry, baby,” she said, leaning up and hugging him from behind; resting her cheek on his shoulder, “I’m sorry for I said, I mean it. I love you.”

“I know you do, Joe,” Hurley said, touching one of her hands, “I love you too. I love you so much . . ..that I did what you asked of me.”

Joscelyn quickly opened her eyes. “What?” she asked.

“You asked me to get rid of him . . . .so I did.” He coughed.

Joscelyn slowly backed away from him and then took his arms, motioning him to look at her directly. “Hurley . . .what have you done?” she asked.

“I contacted Sawyer,” he sniffed, “I offered him two million to get rid of your father. He refused the money and said he would take care of it anyway. And this morning about 3 am . . . I got a call telling me he did.”

“Did Sawyer . . .kill him?” she asked.

“No, I don’t think so. He said he would just remove him.”

“Then . .what happened?”

Within seconds there was a knocking at Joscelyn’s door. She and Hurley looked over toward the door as one of the detectives came in with an orderly who had a wheelchair by him. The police officer looked at the young couple and coughed. “My apologizes,” he whispered, “I didn’t mean to disturb you, Miss Moore and Mr. Reyes, but if you wouldn’t mind, I’ll like Miss Moore to come down to the emergency room.”

“For what reason?” she asked.

“I need you to identify some body.”


Detective Shore led the way as Joscelyn was pushed by the orderly with Hurley by her side. About half way into the emergency room area, she took Hurley’s hand and held it. They both knew what was about to happen and she needed physical contact to get through it. The group finally arrived at the door to a room, where the other detective was outside; talking on a wall phone. Joscelyn slowly got to her feet with Hurley’s help. She held onto his arm as she walked into the room. She gritted her teeth when she finally saw her father on the hospital bed, with an oxygen dual-tube in his nose. One of the other doctors was in there, filling out a piece of paper on a clip board. “Miss Moore?” Shore asked, “Is that your father?”

She immediately shook her head in agreement. Shore looked out toward his partner and gave a thumbs up. She squeezed Hurley’s arm and tried to maintain her composure. “Uh . .what . . ..what happened to him?” she asked.

“He was assaulted.” The detective replied, “It was methodical and precise. He was found unconscious and bleeding from his lower back in a parking lot. Someone dialed 911 and left the phone off the hook. A Black & White found him and now he is here. Since you have identified him, we’ll place him under arrest.”

“Why . . why was he bleeding from his lower back?”

“He was attacked with a sharp blunt object at the lower spine,” the doctor interjected, “ The weapon disrupted the nerves, not to mention crack his spine. We had to stop the leakage of spinal fluid in his blood stream. Our resident spinal doctor, Jack Shepard is already taken a look at the x-rays for possible surgery but he said the outlook is gloomy.”

“He’s paralyzed?” Hurley asked.

“Yes. From the waist down and apparently the trauma has already produced some nerve damage around his liver. He’s going to need to be on a machine for some time. Would you like all the bills to be sent to you, Miss Moore?”

“Uh, no . .” Hurley said, “Send them to me.”

Joscelyn was overwhelmed. Her father was not dead but he was paralyzed. That meant he could not get up and run toward her, then beat her some more. He could not endanger Lilly or Connie. Joscelyn felt an amazing and nearly basking sense of happiness. No murder took place and yet her father was forever out of her life. She then gasped when his eyes shot open like a hawk.

Thomas saw his daughter standing four feet away from him and then he screamed, then abruptly lunged for her. Hurley moved her back and stepped out of the way. Shore and the Doctor ran over to restrain him. The doctor screamed for more orderlies to come in and they did, bringing restraints. The old man screamed like a wild animal as they secured him to the bed. “MR. MOORE!” the detective screamed, “You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do will be held against you in a court of law. If you can not afford an attorney, one will be appointed toward you. Do you understand the rights as I have explained them to you?”

Thomas Moore stared at his daughter with such an intense hatred, he was nearly foaming at the mouth. Joscelyn never felt more hatred in her life and unlike her father; she would eventually seek forgiveness for that hatred. The door to the emergency room then opened and in stepped Jack. The doctor looked at his college, the patient and then over to his friends. “You okay?” he asked.

“I’ll . . .make it, Jack,” she smiled, trying not to cry.

“Jack, are you going to do surgery on him?” Hurley asked.

“Actually, I was going to do. His odds are not good but I was going to take the chance.”

“Was?” his fellow doctor asked.

“Yes, Dr. Rosen. I WAS. But I overheard something from the detective outside and I suspect I will not be allowed to.”

Before Jack was going to explain, the second detective came in. He had a slightly happy look on his face. “Hey, Billy,” he smiled at Detective Shore, “I just got off the phone with the captain who had been speaking with Interpol all morning. We’re going to have to get on a plane to London and escort this man home.”

“London?” Shore raised an eyebrow.

“The department made a call in about this guy’s passport. Turns out it’s invalid. So the captain said, we wait till this guy is fit to travel and then send him back home.”

“He’s being deported?” Hurley asked.

“He’s not a citizen of the US and his visa is invalid,” Shore sighed, “He’s not our problem anymore.”

“When will he be fit to travel, Dr. Shepard?” the other detective asked.

“Judging by his ability to scream and thrash about, I’d say he’s ready NOW.”

“Detective Shore?” Joscelyn asked.

The black detective looked at her.

“Do you mind if I say goodbye to my daddy?”

The detective was a little thrown back by the statement but she still might have held some love for him. He motioned for her to come over but he wasn’t going to step away, in case he grabbed her again. Joscelyn slowly walked over, letting her feet caress the cold marble floor. She leaned over toward her father, who was trying to pull out of his restraints and grab her again. The young woman looked down at him and everybody thought she was going to say something.

Instead, she spat in his eye.

Thomas began to howl like a banshee again at what she had done. She quickly scooted toward Hurley who escorted her out of the room. The orderly helped her back in the wheelchair and began to lead her back to her room.

Once there, she slowly got out of the chair but didn’t sit on her bed. The orderly pulled the wheel chair out and left them to their privacy. Hurley started at her as she slowly walked over to the window. She gently twisted the wand so the blinds would open. The sun was caressing the buildings beyond the horizon. Joscelyn looked at it and for the first time in her life, she felt she had never seen a more beautiful sight. She then held her arms and took a deep breath. She laughed and began to cry. “I can breathe, Hurley,” she laughing, with the tears falling down her cheeks.

“Huh?” he raised an eyebrow.

“I can breathe.” She laughed, “For the first time in my life . . .I can breathe!”

Hurley knew what she meant. It was the first time in her life where she was free from her father and she knew it was real. It wasn’t running away, nor trapped on a distant Island. She was truly free of him. The young woman then turned toward her boyfriend and closed the distance between them. She embraced him and he embraced her. “You did this all for me,” she wept, “You did it for me and my family.”

“I had too, Joe,” Hurley stroked her hair, “I love you.”

She then leaned up on her toes and kissed him. As they parted, she held onto him, basking in his warmth. “I love you too.” She whispered.

Hurley and Joscelyn held each other in the hospital room. The large man loved her dearly and as he held her, he was reminded of when they held each other back on the Island. They had come together then to a mutual love and understanding, and they had done it again. It made Hurley incredibly certain of one thing.

He knew then that she didn’t have his curse and he was thankful.


Epilogue

January 25th, 2006


Sawyer turned down the street, passing suburb after suburb. He looked around and then looked at his note, telling him the specific directions he needed. He quietly cursed a friend of his and nearly hit an old man grossing the street. Sawyer turned the car abruptly and missed her by a few feet. The old man screamed obscenities at him. “BLOW IT OUT YOUR ASS, GRANDMA!” Sawyer screamed out the window.

He checked the directions again and started to grit his teeth. “She’s gonna kill me, she’s gonna kill me.” He coughed.

Then Sawyer turned another corner and found the area he was looking for. The church was slightly packed with cars. The redneck quickly drove to the front, parked in a handicap zone and then jumped out of his vehicle. He quickly jumped up the stairs two at a time toward the church. By the time he got to the top, Jack was already opening the doors. “You’re 12 minutes late.” He mentioned.

“No lectures, Doc,” Sawyer said, trying to get his tuxedo tie on, “It’s your fault I am late.”

“My fault?” Jack asked, greatly insulted, “How the hell is it my fault?”

“Your directions were for crap!” the redneck barked back at him.

“I’ll have you know my directions are flawless. Everybody else got here on time.” Jack then stepped in and grabbed his tie, helping him finish it, “Sweet Jesus, don’t you know how to tie a tie?”

“No, Jack-Ass and you know why?” Sawyer sneered, “I’m not like you. I am not a loser.”

“I got a good mind to strangle you with it.”

“Make sure it’s above the collar before you do.”

Then from around the corner came Ana-Lucia in her brides maid dress. “Thank God, “ she exhaled, seeing Sawyer, “You’re finally here.”

“Is she mad at me?” the redneck asked.

“Joe doesn’t get mad, Sawyer,” the Latina cop smiled, “She gets worried.”

“Well . . .it’s Jack’s fault.”

“NO, IT ISN’T!” the doctor retorted.

“Both of you, shut up and come on!” Ana-Lucia motioned.

Sawyer coughed, twisting his collar around to breathe. He then slapped Jack across the chest and the doctor promptly slapped him back across the arm. The two men reminded Ana-Lucia of bickering brothers. As they turned the corner, Joscelyn saw Sawyer and her eyes lit up. She motioned for the wedding coordinator, they were ready to begin. The white haired man, gasped and motioned for the piano music to begin. The doors slowly opened and Lily began walking out, tossing flowers all over the isle. The guests of the bride and groom then stood to attention. Hurley was at the end, standing next to his minister.

Then Paige took Charlie’s arm as they began to walk down the isle: matron of honor and best man. After they got a certain distance, they parted and took their places up on the small red steps. Then Jack and Ana-Lucia went arm and arm, then began walking down the isle. Barbara laughed as she took a picture of both of them. Ana-Lucia, for the first time in a long time, blushed at the attention. Then Seth smirked as he held out his hand toward Kellye. The young police officer giggled as she took his arm and then let the singer lead her down the isle to join the other brides maid and grooms men. Sawyer took a deep breath and gently took Joscelyn’s arm, placing it around his own. “You look beautiful.” He whispered.

“JaJa?” she giggled.

“Yeah?” he asked.

“It’s customary for the father of the bride to kiss the bride on the cheek before they walk down the isle.”

The redneck smirked, then leaned over; kissing her on the cheek. In the far distance, the piano then started to play the traditional Here Comes The Bride music. Sawyer slowly began to walk her down the isle. Joscelyn felt like her heart might explode at the overwhelming love coming from the group. The group that she had come to know on the Island was now her family, as they sat on either side. Barabara was crying as Jilly held onto her. Jenny and Kristy smiled at the young woman in white. On the right hand side, John stood with Mia, plus Tony, Marita, McKay and Taylor were not far behind. Shanna was standing next to Mia, who shook her finger playfully at Sawyer. Shannon was also there, standing next to Sayid and Andra. Arizona Spartan blew Joscelyn a kiss as she and her husband flew up from Texas to join the wedding. All of her friends and Hurley’s friends were there but there was one special guest that she adored above all else and was thankful she was there.

Joscelyn’s stopped at the bench where her mother was sitting. The older lady was already washed in tears but she hugged her daughter anyway. Now with her abusive father under lock and key in London, her mother was safe to leave the Bahamas and join them in California. She looked forward to spending more days with her mother in the safety comfort of her home. As they parted, Derek helped her mother calm down but only slightly. Like any mother, she couldn’t stop crying.

Sawyer and Joscelyn arrived at the alter. The minister opened his bible, smiling. “Who gives away this bride?” he asked.

Joscelyn smiled and waited for Sawyer to say something, however he didn’t. The bride looked at him and Hurley looked at him with wide eyes. All he was doing was staring at the floor. “Sawyer?” she whispered.

“I’m thinking,” he sighed.

“SAWYER!” she hissed.

“I’m joking. I’ll give her away, padre.”

Sawyer took her hand and guiding it to Hurley’s. The redneck then turned around, smirking at Jack. The doctor gritted his teeth, slightly angry that the southern man couldn’t help but hog the spotlight yet again. Seth laughed, patting the doctor on the back to calm him down. Hurley and Joscelyn giggled as the minister began to speak about the vows of a man and woman, and how true love could never break those vows. Afterwards, both Hurley and Joscelyn would admit they don’t remember must of the minister’s speech.

Only that they knew they would strive to live happily ever after.