Jack looked like a lifeless doll, laying there in that bed, unconscious and worn. The raise and fall of his chest and the sound of labored breathing was the only sign of life. Rose sat by his side, holding his hand tight, as she watched the doctor examine him. She had told him the symptoms that she had noticed on the way to Philadelphia. Symptoms that Jack didn't even know that she knew about. He had tried to brush it all off to no avail, he couldn't fool her. She knew that he was sick, she just hadn't known how sick he was.

Finished with the examination, the doctor sighed and shook his head. His mouth down turned into a grim frown.

"I am afraid that it isn't good," The elderly man looked at Rose with sad eyes.

"What is wrong with him? How do we make him well again? Can he get well again?" Rose wanted to beg and plead for the doctor to save her husband's life. She wanted to tell him just how important Jack really was to her. That he was her anchor, her entire life, so he had to cure him. He couldn't let Jack die, because if Jack died, so would she. She would have no reason to go on. But she didn't. She kept her composure and waited for the doctor's diagnosis.

"I am afraid that your husband has the beginnings of influenza. There's not much that we can do. You can give him aspirin to help with the inflammation and to get the fever down. Also use cold compresses and ice baths. He needs to drink plenty of liquids and get plenty of rest. He can't be up and moving about. He'll be too fatigued, because his body will be using all of his energy to fight the virus."

Rose held a trembling hand against her lips, her heart pounded in her chest. Influenza. Jack had the flu. People died from the flu! She had an Uncle who had died of the flu, years ago and recently, a woman in one of the towns they had traveled threw had passed away from the virus as well. What if Jack didn't get any better? What if he died?

"Is there anything else that I can do to help him, doctor? I mean...people have died from this, right? There must be a way to make sure that he comes through this."

"Well, there are complications. If one is not careful, it can turn into pneumonia."

"Pneumonia?!"

The doctor gave another deep sigh as he took off his glasses and began cleaning them with a white handkerchief from his pocket. "Mrs. Dawson, I am going to tell you what I tell all of my patient's family members. When it comes to the flu, simply go by what I call lab for the next two weeks. Liquids, aspirin, and bed rest. That should help his symptoms. If he is to get well, it'll be during two weeks time. If he's sick longer than that, or if his fever worsens, despite your efforts, send for me again."

Sensing that Rose was still unsatisfied, the doctor placed a compassionate hand on her shoulder, wanting to lend some comfort and maybe even some hope. "Not to worry, Mrs. Your husband is young and strong. Most likely, he will pull through this. It's mostly the elderly and weak that succumb to this virus."

"Thank you doctor..."

The doctor then opened his bag and handed Rose a bottle of pills. "Give these to him, once a day and when you run out, I've written you a prescription to get more at the pharmacy. If you need more than this for his fever, give him ice baths and cold compresses. I wish I could tell you to do more. Good luck, Mrs. Dawson."

"Thank you, sir," Rose accepted the pills and prescription and watched him leave the room, probably being shown out by Jasmine and her mother. Feeling at a loss at what to do now, she returned to Jack's bedside and took his hand in hers. "You should have said you weren't feeling well, Jack. I knew you were sick, I should have insisted that we stay in Maine until you were better."

"What's wrong with being here?"

Startled, Rose turned to see Jasmine in the doorway, looking at her with compassionate eyes. "Jasmine, I didn't see you there."

"Yeah, I heard the doctor say it's the flu," Jasmine came in and stood by her sister. When she had first met Rose, the redhead had been a mystery to her, but the letters that she had received from Rose had revealed an intelligent, friendly, loving girl who had a heart for adventure. She couldn't help to admire her and perhaps even be like her. She definitely wanted to find a love like the love that Rose had found with Jack. Someone to love fully and completely and have that love returned. "Not to worry Rose. The doctor is right. Jack is young and strong and he's going to beat this. And I'm glad that you're here to go through this. Who better than to go through sickness with than family. This way, you're not alone and he can concentrate fully on getting better and not have to worry that you have no one."

"I just don't want to be a burden to you and your mother...I feel like we're imposing."

"Don't be silly. You're not imposing. Do you know how much I had wanted to be of some comfort to you during those hard times that you wrote about? I felt like such a bad sister. But now I can make up for that and be here for you when you need me. I can hold your hand until Jack is well enough to hold it himself."

She turned her attention back to Jack, who still was not awake. Sighing, Rose reached over and brushed his damp hair away from his face, wishing that he would open his eyes. All was well when those blue eyes were in sight.

"So how is he?" Selene appeared in the doorway, also worried about the young man.

"He has yet to wake up. I'm so sorry about this, Selene. I promise, we won't be any trouble and I'll pull our weight as long as we're here. Whatever you need me to do, I'll do," Rose offered, still feeling like an imposter.

"Oh no need to be sorry. You're Jasmine's sister, which makes you both family. We wouldn't have it any other way. Plus this way, you have a safe place to nurse your young man back to health. Don't you worry about a thing."

"Thank you," Rose sniffed, wishing that she could smile, but with Jack sick, she just couldn't bring herself to do so. "We both appreciate this."

"Come Jasmine, let's go have those cold compresses made for the young man. The sooner we get that fever down, the better," Selene direct, pulling her daughter from the room so that Rose could have some time alone with Jack.

Rose watched them go, her heart feeling heavy. She found no joy or relief at the acceptance here in Philadelphia. She just felt worry and isolation, knowing that Jack was sick and how this illness could turn into something worse if they weren't careful. She had never been so scared in her life.

"Rose?" His voice was raspy and his throat hurt, really his whole body hurt. He had no idea where he was or how he got there. Just that he was sick and Rose needed him.

"It's okay, Jack," She squeezed his hand, letting him know that she was there. That she wasn't going to leave his side. He had taken care of her ever since the moment that they had wed. Now it was time for her to take care of him. "I'm right here, darling. I am not going anywhere."

"I feel like shit...where are we?" He forced his eyes to open. He tried to move, but it felt like his muscles were made of lead, trapping him in one place.

"We're at Jasmine's house. Her and Selene are allowing us to stay until you're well again."

"Well again?"

"Oh Jack, why didn't you tell me that you weren't feeling well? I wouldn't have let you drive all this way! You can't do that, Jack. You can't not tell me when something is wrong with you. I have to know when something is wrong with you. Through sickness and in health Jack."

"Sorry..."

"Don't be sorry. Just don't do it again," She sadly smiled, touching his hot face. "Your

fever feels worse...let me give you some aspirin...Jasmine will be back with a cold compress..."

"What's wrong with me?"

"You have influenza. The doctor said that you'll be sick for two weeks. Any longer than that, we'll have to have him come back. It can be serious, Jack. So I need you to rest and not try to get up. You have to conserve your strength and let me take care of you," Rose explained, stroking his damp hair.

"I'm...sorry," He tried to talk, but was again over come by fits of coughing. This time, he was able to control the dizziness, now that he was laying down and not sitting up, but his head was still pounding. "My head hurts..."

Rose reached for the aspirin, took a pill out of the bottle and fed it to Jack. She poured a glass of water from the pitcher on a nearby table and had Jack drink from the glass. "This should help."

"Here's a compress, Rose. Oh he's awake," Jasmine reappeared.

"Yes, he is and he's seemingly worse," Rose accepted the compress and gently pressed it to Jack's head. "I hope that changes."

"With you as his nurse, I am sure he'll be back on his feet soon," Jasmine gave an encouraging smile. She looked at Jack, noticing how pale and lifeless he seemed in that bed. Almost lost. He had to be worried about Rose. She got a sense from Rose's letters and from the times she had spoken to him that that was who he was. He loved her and worried about her. She felt as if she should say something to him. Reassure him somehow. "Not to worry, Jack. I'll help Rose as she looks after you. She's not alone. My mother and I will look after her for you."

The smile was small, but there. His voice was barely recognizable. "Thank...you..."

…..

The following three weeks were hallowing ones for Rose. Jack got much worse before he got better. His coughing kept them both up during the nights. His fever came and went and sometimes he would even hallucinate, talking to Fabrizio and Tommy, apologizing to them and talking to an invisible Fabrizio about dreams that were never to come true. It had broken Rose's heart to see Jack trapped in a world she could be no part of.

The fever and hallucinations weren't the only thing. There was the harsh coughs, the intense headaches, and the throwing up and muscle aches and the constant fatigue. Rose tried to deal with all these symptoms, trying to hide her own fear and heartache, but when she was alone, or just with Jasmine, she would let it all out by crying in her sister's arms. Jasmine would just hold her and let the tears fall as she comforted her sister with reassuring words that by the third week, she was beginning to doubt.

When the third week came, and Jack was still not better, Rose had the doctor come back and he had told her that Jack was no worse, even though he was no better. That for now, it was still a case of wait and see.

Finally, the fourth week arrived and Jack's fever broke, the aches disappeared, and he was coughing less and less. Jack was again feeling like himself again. By the end of the fourth week, the doctor had declared him cured, much to Rose and Jasmine's relief. The two girls didn't think that they could take anymore.

Especially Rose. In the past four weeks, she had to learn to be strong without Jack's love and encouragement. She had to stand on her own two feet and be the strong one for Jack, and she was, with the help of a sister she had just found out that she had.

For the first time since meeting Jasmine, Rose felt grateful for the girl. She didn't want to think of what would have happened if she had been on her own during Jack's illness. She liked to think that she was strong enough to make it on her own, but she just didn't know. Not really, and she was so afraid that she wasn't and may never be.