Rose opened the oven just as Calleigh brought in yet another lunch ticket, giving her a weak smile when she heard Rose groan. She had just started to take the croissants out of the oven, when her mobile began to ring. She jerked back in surprise at the sudden and unexpected sound, causing her to drop the baking sheet. Rose tossed the sheet onto the prep table in heated frustration and started rummaging through her bag.

Where is the stupid thing?

The ringing persisted, further annoying her until she finally found the phone at the very bottom of her bag. She glanced at the name before answering.

"What?!" she spat out, all trace of civility gone.

"What's wrong with you?" Mickey asked.

"Well, let's see," Rose growled, "It's 11:30 and we're already swamped. Calleigh's still tryin' to train Amy, which leaves me to prepare all the lunch orders. Then, your stupid phone call scared the crap outta me and I dropped the croissants all over the floor. So now, we're completely out of 'em and I have to try 'n make more and still keep up with everythin' else. So that's what's wrong with me!"

"…I need a favor…"

"Were ya listenin' to anything I just said?"

"Listen. Martha's got a doctor's appointment around 1:00. She's s'posed to have another scan. I was s'posed to take her, but they're doin' a surprise inspection at the garage and I have to stay. I need someone to take her."

Rose let out a deep and frustrated sigh, running her free hand through her hair. "Mickey...I honestly can't leave. Y'know I would in a heartbeat, but there's no one else here to help…lemme call John. I'll see if he can take her. I gotta go."

"Thanks. Later."

Rose ended the call and immediately tried John's mobile. It only rang twice before he answered.

"Hey."

Even though she was unbelievably stressed, Rose couldn't help but smile on hearing his voice.
"Hey, love. Watcha doin'?"

"Uh... Writing."

"And by writing you mean, on the sofa, in your sweats and watchin' telly, yeah?"

"For your information, I'm not in sweats," he said in mock indignation.

"Oh, no?" she asked, grinning disbelievingly.

"No…I'm in my boxers."

Rose couldn't help but blush at that mental image. "Well, I need you to tear yourself away from all that and take Martha to the doctor."

"But I'm working…," John whined teasingly.

"Please? Mick's stuck at the garage and I'm drownin' here," she pleaded.

"Yeah, of course I'll take her. What time?"

"Appoinment's at 1:00."

"Okay. I'll take care of it."

"Ta. I really gotta go. Love you."

"Love you, too."

With that taken care of, Rose threw her phone back into her purse and hurriedly tried to make up for lost time.

Thankfully, they made it through the lunchtime madness with minimal setbacks and no complaints. By 2:00 P.M., things had slowed down considerably. There were no customers and Calleigh was finally able to focus on training Amy. Leaving the two of them up front, Rose began to clean up the kitchen which looked like a food warzone. Pausing her cleanup for moment, she pulled out her mobile and decided to check on Martha. After a few rings, she answered.

"Hey, Rose. Things calm down?"

"Yeah, finally. How'd things go? Everythin' alright?"

"Yeah, everythin's fine. John tried to get the doctor to say what the sex of the baby was, but I smacked 'im and he quit."

Rose heard John in the background. "And it hurt!"

"Oh, don't be such a baby!" Martha said to John before addressing Rose again, "He's such a whiner. It barely left a mark."

"Try not to beat up on my fiancée. At least not his face…I rather like it."

"Fine."

"Ya do realize that you're the only one who doesn't wanna know if it's a boy or girl, right?"

"That's not true. Mickey doesn't, either," Martha protested.

"No, Mickey only said he wanted to be surprised because you were glaring at 'im at the time and he's afraid of you and your insane hormones."

"Oh, stop it! I'm not that bad!"

"Martha, ya cried at Star Wars the other night." Rose couldn't help but laugh at the memory of Martha sobbing over Han's reply of "I know" to Leia's declaration of love.

"Oh, shut up… listen, this baby is growin' inside me and if don't wanna know, then that's that," she grumbled but then began to repeatedly sniffle, and Rose could tell that Martha was getting ready for a round of irrational tears.

"It's alright, love. I understand. I won't bug ya about it again. Don't cry," she soothed. "You two gonna stop by and see me, or are ya goin' home?"

"We're stoppin' by. We should be there soon."

"Okay. Well, I'll see ya when ya get here. Love you."

"Love you."

As the call ended, Rose smiled and shook her head. Martha was normally a calm and collected person, but her hormones made her certifiable. It took them all by surprise, but it did make for some amusing entertainment. For example, during her pregnancy, Martha found she couldn't stand bananas but loved pears. John, of course, was the complete opposite. So anytime John started to annoy her, Martha would sneak bits of pear into his food, causing him to freak out and begin arguing with her. Of course, she would then start sobbing, and Mickey and Rose would remind him that he really shouldn't row with a pregnant woman.

Rose was pulled out of her musings by the sound of the shop bell going off. Since Calleigh and Amy were manning the front, she decided to stay in the kitchen, and continue to clean. But then she heard a voice that made her blood run cold and her stomach sink.

No... It...it can't be. It's just not possible.

Rose walked slowly to the kitchen door and hesitantly pushed it open. She had to make sure. Instantly, her eyes locked with the owner of that voice, and the room stilled.

He gave her that all too familiar smile. Rose could feel her insides begin to tremble but she willed her body to contain itself.

"Hey Rose. It's been awhile."

"Not long enough," she replied darkly.

"Oh, no need to be like that," he said in a smooth tone.

Calleigh and Amy exchanged worried looks. They could sense there was trouble in the air, but both were at a loss as to what to do.

"I've heard a lot 'bout this place. Decided I had to come an' see it for m'self," he said, looking around the room before settling his unwanted gaze on her. His eyes then flitted to her hand and saw the ring on it. "Look at that! Got y'self a bloke, huh? He must be well off if he could get you a rock like that."

Instinctively, Rose grabbed at her ring and wished John was here with her now. She straightened herself and said, "He does alright. Not that that's any of your business."

He smirked. "Well, just wanna make sure you're gettin' what you deserve. Coz ya deserve so much."

"Ya should go. John'll be here soon and you don't want him to see ya here," she said, her voice wavering ever so slightly as she struggled to remain strong.

The look he gave her sent shivers through her body. He leaned forward, and placed his hands onto the counter. "Don't look so nervous, Rose. Even though we haven't seen each other in a while, I still think about ya. In fact, ya still 'ave that lil' reminder I gave ya?" he asked, motioning at her with his head.

"'Course I do," she whispered harshly. Rose couldn't take this much longer. She could feel herself breaking. She mustered every ounce of strength she had left. "You need to leave—now!"

He leaned back off the counter and smiled as if he knew something she didn't. "It was good catchin' up, Rose. I'll be seein' ya again...soon." With that he turned and headed out.

When he was out the door, Rose started to tremble and she hurried into the kitchen, telling Calleigh and Amy she needed a minute to herself. Once inside, she leaned against the wall and tried to steady herself. Sobs started to claim her, and she threw her hands over her mouth to silence her cries as she sank to the floor.

Since traffic was rather mild, Martha and John arrived at the shop earlier than expected. They were only a few feet from the entrance, when Martha saw a man hurriedly come out. At the sight of him, she grabbed John's arm, her grip so fierce that it caused John to turn and look at her.

"Are you okay? Is it the baby?" he asked worriedly.

Martha could only faintly shake her head no. John could tell something was wrong. He could see fear written all over her face and her silence was unsettling.

"Martha, you're starting to scare me. Tell me what's wrong!"

"We…we need to see Rose now!" she said as she did her best to run into the shop.

They both hurried into the shop, panic rising in both of them. Calleigh and Amy looked beyond relieved to see them.

"Thank God you're here!" Calleigh said earnestly.

Martha wasted no time. "Where's Rose?!"

John was at a complete loss as to what was going on. Everyone seemed to know what was happening and it obviously wasn't anything good. Most importantly, it had to do with Rose, a fact that made his panic and anger flare.

This time Amy spoke up. "She's in the kitchen. We tried to go after her, but she didn't want us with her."

Martha dashed into the kitchen with John hot on her heels. She threw open the door and both were met with the sight of a shaken Rose, silently sobbing uncontrollably and trembling beyond belief. John attempted to lift her up into his arms, but she was dead weight. Instead, he knelt beside her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Unfortunately, his presence brought her only a modicum of relief. What had happened had shaken her to her core.

"Rose, what is it?! What happened?" John asked frantically.

"He was here," she whispered.

"Who? Who was here?"

She didn't answer, but continued to tremble in his arms.

He looked to Martha for the answer she clearly knew. "Who was here?"

Martha looked at him, her eyes dark and pained, and said the name that made bile rise in her throat.

"Jimmy."

AN: So... yeah... angsty galore on this one. It's five parts. But if it's any consolation, the rest in this series are fluffy goodness. PROMISE! Thanks so much for being so kind! Remember...I will ALWAYS give my readers a happy ending to the story!