"Hello, Tom!" she cried, running up to him, and Tom said, as he sometimes did when he was very pleased to see her, "Hello, Permanent Rose!"

She threw her arms round him and held on tightly, hardly able to believe that he was really there though she could feel him hugging her back and she could smell him too. He smelt like he always does sort of clean-ish with some sort of woody smell and some fresh air. She wondered if he sat on a roof again.

She pulled away and matched his grin as he introduced her to his Dad, Mr Levin who was really nice and very tired because someone woke him up at five o'clock in the morning and the baby wouldn't go back to sleep. He was getting on very well with her Daddy as they talked about weather and how the flight was.

It wasn't until they got outside to the airport when she started to feel angry and upset and really, really tired. Her happiness had instantly worn off and Tom just being there now was no longer good enough.

She looked up at him with a hateful look that she normally reserved for David. "Why didn't you write Tom? I was so worried and scared that something happened or you forgot us. You didn't even phone or sent some sort of message to anyone for us. Why?" she began to smack him aimlessly between words. Missing or hitting him as he winced and tried to back away. "Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?" she was breathing heavily, her cheeks flushed red and tears in her eyes.

Bill grabbed hold of Rose's shoulder and pulled her away from Tom. "Pack it in" he hissed, "you're causing a scene and making me regret bringing you here. If you keep this up I'll have you locked in the hotel room for the whole trip"

"No, no it's all right" Tom said not looking at either Rose or Bill. "It's my fault. You didn't write or phone either, Rose. And I just thought you didn't want me anymore. That Indigo and the others no longer liked me. You know out of sight, out of mind sort of thing"

"We would never forget you!" Rose cried out pulling away from Bill and running towards Tom again. "We couldn't! I thought you forgot us"

Tom chuckled weakly. "Forget the Cassons? That's impossible"

"Michael said that too" Rose mumbled.

"Oh Rose. I really am sorry, if I just used my head I would have sent a letter or phoned or send a blooming pigeon. Hell I would even have learnt telepathy just to tell you everything is all right"

"I'd like that" Rose murmured tiredly as she yawned. Tom opened the car door and slid in first, settling down in the middle as Rose crawled in after him. After she slipped her seatbelt on she rested her head on his shoulder and fell asleep immediately.

Bill and Mr Levin exchanged looks. "It's always good to meet the bride's parents before the wedding" Mr Levin said jokingly.

"Hmm...As long it's after university" Bill muttered.

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"Wose! Wose! Wose!" Frances babbled as she held up her doll. "Look! Look! Look!"

Bill had to do some work on the gallery before the showing that night (which Tom's family was immediately invited to. unfortunately his Gran had to stay to look after Frances since she was too young and still recovering from her illness) so Rose was spending the morning at Tom's where she gotten to know his stepmother and little sister. Of course Frances fell in love with Rose immediately and began to show her all of her toys. Tom was beginning to wonder if all the Cassons just have this effect on people.

"It's lovely Frances" Rose said.

"From Tom"

Tom looked up from his guitar to look at the doll. It was a rather cheap doll no more than five dollars but it cheered Frances up when she was in hospital. A get well gift to go with the famous Indigo Get Well Chant. It deserved capitals it worked so well. After all it saved Rose.

"Rose look at that doll. From Tom. It's got a soul and a tum, tum" Tom sang as he strummed on his guitar. Frances giggled and clapped as Rose smiled happily. "Rose tell me what happened in England while I was gone"

"Well Mummy is painting the hospital walls though she doesn't like hospitals. She keeps needing drinks every time she comes home. The special drinks that only she's allowed to drink. Saffy is looking for her father but I found him and it's Daddy. Saffy and Sarah had also taken up naked sunbathing where horrible stinky David found them. Though David isn't really horrible as he found Caddy's ring for me which I lost outside your house. He was very, very, very mean when he forced me to go on the train to tell Caddy but if he didn't then I wouldn't have gotten to come to New York so it's all right really. But there is something a little creepy about him so I don't think I like him but he's still ok. Indigo likes him. We've been reading a book me and Indigo, all about King Arthur and his knights on the round table, Lancelot is a lot like you"

Tom blinked. "Say that all again Rosie Pose but a little slower will you?"

Rose glowered at him. "Weren't you listening?"

He laughed and ruffled her hair. "I was but you were going do fast that I missed all the good details. Start with Saffy looking for her Dad"

He really needed a distraction from the thought 'naked sunbathing'.

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She was wearing glasses and was getting smaller and bigger depending which part of the picture he was looking at. It was his favourite painting by far, a hundred roses with the same sulking expression and sharp angry eyes behind her glasses. He has never seen her with them on though he had seen the glasses hidden behind the jam jar many times. She looked rather good, smart as well as pretty.

Rose was looking up at it with the same expression of awe that he wore. Only she turned to look at Bill with one of her dazzling smiles. "I'm in your gallery!" she said delighted.

"Of course you are. This is one of my favourites as well" Bill said giving Rose a one armed hug. Tom looked round for his father and stepmother to find them both talking to some stuffy old man while sipping champagne.

"Ah, Bill" a male voice said from behind them. They turned to see a man in his mid-forties at least walking towards them. "There you are, I wanted to introduce you to an upcoming artist give them some tips so to speak. Oh, you brought the model for your painting. How lovely"

"This is my daughter, Rose" Bill said keeping a hand on her shoulder.

"Very pretty girl. Looks a lot like you, does she paint to?"

"Oh yes, especially on the house wall..."

Tom began to tune out the conversation between Bill and the other artist. They had shifted away from Rose and onto other boring artist things. Rose looked rather bored herself as she began to hover between him and her father. He reached out and took her hand causing her to look up at him.

"Come on. Let's explore and see if we can get on the roof"

"But we don't have your guitar"

"So? Doesn't mean we can't miss out on a rooftop does it?"

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They couldn't get onto the roof since the doors were padlocked so they ended up settling with exploring the rest of the art gallery. Rose had fallen in love with a small section of strangely bright coloured paintings. Tom had to admit they were good but he never really thought anything matched up to Rose's rooftop painting in the kitchen.

"This one is my favourite" Rose declared after examining each and every one of the paintings. "It reminds me of when me and Indigo used to look at stars and make wishes. We haven't done it in weeks though"

"Very cool" Tom agreed. "I prefer the sunflowers though. Very bright and cheerful" he looked thoughtful for a moment. "Oh sunflowers, so bright and cheerful, kissed by the sun itself though not was beautiful as a starry night" he sang before frowning. "Doesn't have the same effect without my guitar does it?"

"Still very good though" Rose said loyally.

He smirked. "It's not brilliant without the guitar but it's just very good. Rose says so, oh Rose says so" he sang.

Rose tried to smother a laugh. "I missed you. It's not quite the same without you and David is so boring compared to you. He does nothing but huff and puff, eat sweets, tell me off and look at Saffy in fear"

Tom was getting a bit sick of hearing about David. This was about the zillionth time Rose had brought him up and though she was making Tom sound better he still didn't like it. He wanted Rose's attention solely on him. Not on some stupid painting, not on her Dad and not on his little sister.

Just him. Only him.

Which was probably why he did it.

He just swooped down and pressed his lips against hers quickly before pulling away. She blinked and looked at him with her wide blue eyes. He almost regretted it immediately, she was so young and innocent compared to him. Ok not innocent since it was Rose but when it came to the birds and the bees she was innocent as his little sister.

"What was that for?" she asked as she touched her lips.

He shrugged. "Just wanted to get there first" he mumbled.

"Well you're a little late. Mummy and Daddy and Caddy and Indy have all kissed me before. Even Sarah's Mum and Dad have kissed me"

"Come on Permanent Rose" he said instantly pleased with himself. He was her first proper boy kiss and one day she'll realise that. Till then he can just pretend it was a friendly kiss. "Lets get back before your Dad loses the rest of his hair"

They wandered back down to Bill's gallery where he was waiting anxiously for them already. He half ran towards them with a furious glare mostly aimed at Tom than Rose. "Where have you been? I've been worried sick" he hissed.

"Went upstairs and looked at the other pictures" Rose said. "The guy upstairs is better than you. Sorry Daddy but it's true, he has wonderful bright paintings of sunflowers and starry nights"

"Van Gogh" Bill said instantly. "I really do see Art School in your future Rosie Pose"

Rose beamed and Bill looked down at the entwined hands of Tom and Rose. Unfortunately he can see Tom Levin in Rose's future clearly.

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On Sunday Rose sulkily spent the day with Bill. They went to the Statue of Liberty and Elise Island before going to a few other tourist venues. They brought souvenirs for the family and friends under Bill's watchful eye so it would be very boring and well Daddy like in Rose's opinion. They had a lunch and played in Central Park which was more fun than the morning and then they met the Levins for dinner before the flight.

"I don't want to go" Rose wailed as she refused to get up from her chair.

"Rose" Bill hissed, "Stop making a scene! I promise you will get more contact from Tom when you get back in England. You both learnt an important lesson about communication and it's time you grew up a little about it"

Rose crossed her arms and pouted.

"Permanent Rose Casson" Bill growled warningly.

"Rose, don't worry. I'll write loads of letters and phone twice a week" Tom promised.

"You will?"

"I will"

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die, if I tell a lie, I'll stick a needle in my eye" Tom vowed holding his hand up in a Boy Scout sign. "Now get moving before Indy and the others start missing you madly"

"Won't you miss me madly?"

"I miss all of you Cassons madly" Tom said as he took Rose's hand and hauled her up off her chair. When he pulled away, Rose's hand clenched itself into a fist as she held on tightly to something in her hand.

As they exited the building Bill muttered quietly to himself, "I was going to get a computer so you can email each other anyway"

He wondered what Rose was holding onto so desperately after they got onto the plane. It took a long time for her to fall asleep and when she did he could barely unclench her hand to take a peek. When he did, he was surprised to find a transparent guitar pick with a little red rose monogram on it.

A little reminder of Tom. Something Rose really didn't need.

Rose stirred a little and looked at him blearily. "One day. I'll do a big picture in the sky, all for Tom" she murmured before slipping back into sleep.

Bill had no doubt she would. Just as he had no doubt that Tom would do something equally big just for Rose.