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Chapter One

August, 1964

It was a blistering hot day in Tulsa, but Rose welcomed the heat, it suggested that maybe things weren't so different here. The stifling heat of summer was something all her homes so far had shared. Perhaps the only difference now would be the distance from the sea.

Her family had only arrived from Miami a few weeks prior. A move brought on by her mother's latest marriage - third time's the charm. They were so sickeningly happy that Rose didn't have it in to bitterly resent the move as her brother did. Or perhaps Miami had never seemed as much of a home to her as Cuba had been before it. And nothing could ever truly replace your first home.

Still, she'd miss the beach, the thunderstorms in summer, and her family most of all. Aside from the occasional holiday in New York from her father, this was the furthest away from them she'd ever been, and this time the separation was permanent. At least she had her step-father's family, who were pleasant but not much of a consolation prize.

Diego had initially refused to let her tag along with his friends, but Rose was equally as stubborn and had the advantage of their mother being on her side. The triumph was short-lived, however, as her brother spent the whole drive in an utterly foul mood. Rose was just glad their mother hadn't forced him to take their little brother as well, because then Diego would be unbearable.

Even when her brother ignored her she still loved him, just as she supposed all siblings did. At sixteen he had finally hit his growth spurt and was now all gangly limbs, they shared the same dark hair and eyes - though hers were a darker shade of brown, almost black. To her mother's dismay Rose was the enigma of the family, sharing her grandmother's caramel skin unlike her paler relations.

Diego still hadn't spoken to her as they entered the bowling alley, and she practically had to run to keep up with him as he stalked towards a group of teenagers. Rose stood back as he greeted them, waiting for an introduction she knew wouldn't come. Only when one of the boys nodded to her did her brother finally acknowledge her presence.

"This is my sister," Diego said, "Rose."

"Nice to meet you, Rose." Said another boy, "I'm Two-Bit, this is Soda and Steve."

"You gonna bowl with us?" Soda asked.

"No." Diego said, not even giving her a chance to respond.

"So I'm just supposed to watch?" Rose demanded, crossing her arms and scowling at her brother.

The three other boys exchanged looks, grinning at each other as they backed away from the squabbling siblings.

"Do whatever you want." Diego said, "Just don't bug us."

"Fine." She snapped back, and it took all of her not to stamp her foot, "I'll be waiting in the car, since you want to be an ass."

Marching towards the exit, it was only when she reached the car that she realized her brother still had the keys. The day had turned out to be a total bust. She was in a no good town, with no friends and a brother who didn't want her around.

"Shit." She muttered, slapping the car with her hand before taking a kick at its wheels, "Shit."

"You alright there?" A voice asked.

Jerking her head up to see a boy standing a few feet away from her. He was tall and lean, with dark hair and cold blue eyes. Handsome indeed, not even the scar on his face could change that, but he was definitely bad news.

"I'm fine." She answered, "Are you alright just standing there watching me?"

"Just wanted to make sure you didn't hurt yourself." He replied, his mouth twisting into a smirk, "Thought you might appreciate my caring."

"Hardly much care." She said, "But thanks anyway."

His eyes narrowed at her, and she started fretting about her big mouth getting her in trouble again. Her mother was always telling her she was too smart for her own good, and this boy looked like he was either impressed by her, or pissed off. Probably both.

"What's your name, kid?" He asked, and she decided it must be the former.

"Rose." She said, "And I'm not a kid."

"How old are you?"

"15."

"Then you're a kid."

"Well you don't look like you're an adult." She pointed out, "And if you're under 18 then you're a kid too."

It was a completely valid argument, and by the way his lips twisted into a smirk, one he appreciated. He leant back against the hood of the car, stretching his legs out and making himself comfortable. She could see the scar running down the side of his face clearer now, and she wanted to ask how he got it but knew better. You just don't ask strangers how they got scars. Especially not strangers who looked like they were intimately familiar with the inside of a cell.

"You new here?" He asked, his gaze drifting up and down her body.

"Just moved here," Rose nodded, jutting out her chin, refusing to buckle under his intense stare. "From Miami."

He nodded at her. "How you liking this town of ours?"

"It's greener." She admitted. "I didn't think Oklahoma was this green."

He chuckled at that. It sounded neither entirely genuine nor entirely fake. Like true laughter was something he'd trained himself out of a long time ago but sometimes he found himself slip up.

"What's your name?" She asked. "I told you mine, so you have to tell me yours."

"Ain't how it works."

"Then how does it work?" She asked, tilting her head and cocking an eyebrow, "Let me guess, however you say it does."

"You catch on pretty quick."

"My momma says I'm smart."

He opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the sound of her name being called. Turning her head she saw Diego approaching them, his eyes flicking between them suspiciously. As hard as she knew he tried to keep his face emotionless, Rose coils tell that he was angry. With her or the situation she didn't know, but he was grinding his jaw in the way that was usually followed by a string of muttered curses in Spanish.

"Hey Tim," he said, "Whatcha you doing here?"

Rose grinned in triumph at learning his name, even if he hadn't been the one to tell her. But the smile just made Diego frown more.

"Not much." Tim shrugged, "She your girl?"

"My sister." Diego corrected, and they both watched as Tim's expression remained neutral.

"Yeah, I can see the resemblance." Tim said, shoving his hands in his pockets, "Well, I better get inside."

Just as he was making to leave she spoke up, "See you around, Tim." She told him, desperately trying to keep her tone casual

"See you around, kid." He replied, and though she couldn't see his face she knew he was smirking.

"What're you doing hanging around with Shepard?" Diego demanded as soon as Tim was out of earshot, "He's trouble you know. A real hood."

"And those friends of yours aren't?" She countered.

"Not like him." Diego said, "Look, Rose, I'm not playing."

"Neither am I."

"Really," Diego said, "You looked like you were having an awful lot of fun."

"It was a conversation." Rose said, "You don't have to crucify me for it."

"Just don't have any more conversations with him," Diego said, a pleading edge to his voice, "Please, for me."

"Okay." She muttered.

"D'you want to come back inside now?" Diego asked, "We've only just started."

"So no apology I'm guessing."

"Hey, you can either come inside, or sit out here in the heat," he said, "Cause I'm not giving you the keys."

"Fine."

Crossing her arms she trudged back inside behind her brother, joining the group which now had a few new additions. They all seemed alright, funny even, but no matter how much she enjoyed herself she couldn't stop her eyes from straying towards where Tim was sitting with who she assumed were his friends. Her brother's desperation to keep her away from him only made her more fascinated by him. But she also knew that Diego wouldn't be worried over nothing, and Tim was practically the definition of a bad decision.

Still, she'd never really made the smartest choices.

This stories ties into my other story, Sweet Thing, and they take place in the same universe.