A/N: Sorry I haven't been updating as much, the Christmas season is horrible at work so I have little time to myself and I'm usually exhausted. Hopefully I can get back to updating more regularly now that it's dying down.

Back in London Jackie Tyler was shopping at the supermarket when she was spotted by Donna. "Jackie?" Donna called in surprise. They hadn't seen each other in months.

Jackie broke into a smile "Donna, how have you been?"

"About the same, still working as a secretary, nothing new. How about you, how have you been? I heard about Rose."

Jackie sighed, news traveled fast apparently. "Yeah, she met some man who offered to take her to travel the world as his apprentice."

"Oh," Donna forced a smile. "That sounds…nice."

Jackie sighed, "I know how it sounds, but she seems to be enjoying herself. She called me this morning and told me she is in Hawaii, staying in some fancy house. She even sends me some of the most incredible photos."

"But, are you ok with it?" Donna asked with a sincere hand on her shoulder.

Jackie gave a subtle nod, "It's nothing like that time before, at least she keeps in touch and I know where she is. I just want her to be happy." She sighed and wanted to change the subject. "How about David, is he still in school?"

Donna gave a genuine smile this time, "He's doing good, very good. I wish I had his knack for learning, maybe I would be doing something more with my life. He'll be home in a few weeks for Christmas."

Jackie then realized how close the holidays were and wondered if Rose was going to be home for Christmas or if she was going to spend the holiday home alone.

Rose was once again on an airplane, this time bound for Mexico. They spent three more days relaxing in Hawaii while John waited for information about the Captain of the ship. They learned his real name was Henry van Statten and he was last seen near Puerto Vallarta. John was determined to catch this man and Rose did not disagree.

She wouldn't have minded staying in Hawaii either, her time there was amazing. John took her hiking through the Thurston Lava Tube which ended in a beautiful rain forest. They also visited the botanical gardens, went whale watching and Rose even got John to take her to a luau, which took a lot of convincing.

This was a great opportunity for Rose to strengthen her relationship with John, not on a romantic level but on a friendship level. She got him to open up about himself a little, but he still was very vague on most details when it came to his personal life and family. Still, she wasn't going to push too hard and was glad to learn a bit more about him since he was such a mystery.

Rose also noticed that John had a jealous side, though he refused to admit it. Their last night on the island they went to eat at an outdoor restaurant that also happened to have live music and dancing. Rose couldn't help but move to the beat as she sat at the table and after countlessly asking John for just one dance she decided to venture off and dance on her own. It wasn't long before a local boy her age came along-side her, danced with her. It wasn't close, it wasn't intimate but when Rose glanced in John's direction she saw him now standing with his arms tightly crossed and his mouth turned to a scowl.

The song came to an end and the band went on break so Rose went back to John not knowing the boy was still behind her. She could still remember the look in his eyes when he stared the boy down with a look that made him flee to the other side of the floor and the grip he had on her after. He still says he was tired and that is why he acted the way he did. Luckily she got him cheered up again on the walk back and the rest of the night was peaceful.

Rose stared out the window as the plane began to take off, looking at the island and wondering if this was the last time she was ever going to see it. She felt John's hand grab hers and he gave a gentle squeeze. Rose looked back at him and smiled, "So, tell me more about Mexico."

The flight was short and when they landed someone was waiting for them, it wasn't a surprise, John called ahead and arranged for a ride. As they approached the man that John obviously knew, Rose learned that John knew fluent Spanish. The two men greeted each other and John introduced the man, whose name was Sergio, and he attempted to greet her in broken English.

They left the airport and climbed into a small car, John sat up front with the man while Rose sat in the back quietly, watching out the window. She never imagined that she would be so well traveled in such a short amount of time, but here she was, in a whole new country. The two men talked and Rose did not understand anything they were saying, not that she cared, she was captivated with the view. The city was bright and colorful. She saw many street vendors, children playing and lots of detailed architecture. It was nothing like the movies she had seen which never did the country justice.

It wasn't a terribly long drive before they pulled up to a large house with many people outside of it. If Rose wasn't mistaken, she would say this house was well guarded although nobody looked dangerous. The car parked and John helped her out. "Where are we at?" Rose asked cautiously, looking around at her surroundings.

John kept his voice low, "he's sort of an acquaintance of mine and usually can get me the information I need. No need to worry."

"I'm not worried," Rose told him as she followed him into the house. It was a beautiful house actually, with tile floors and custom Mexican décor.

A handsome, well-dressed, man approached them with a bright smile. He was around John's age, with short, dark, well-groomed hair, a goatee, and dark, mysterious eyes. He seemed very pleased to see John as his arms extended in his greeting, "John Smith! ¿Cómo estás?"

John reached out and shook his hand firmly, avoiding a hug, "same as always, I suppose."

"Which brings you here to see me," The man said with perfect English but a firm Mexican accent. "Unless you've decided to take me up on my offer to come and work for me."

"Sorry, but no." John told him.

The man turned his attention to Rose, "I see you've brought a friend this time." He took a few steps in Rose's direction and took her hand gently, pressing a kiss to the top of it. "Hola, Bonita. My name is Alejandro Cortez Mendoza, what might I call you?" He flashed Rose a stunning smile, making her smile back shyly.

"Rose," she giggled. She didn't know why she giggled, she just found him somewhat charming.

"Rose," he repeated back. He still held her hand and stroked her knuckles with his thumb. "May I say, I've never seen a Rose quite as beautiful as you." Rose let out another giggle, why couldn't she stop? Before she could say anything else, John made a disapproving noise and he was now glaring at them.

"Ah, of course," Alejandro said as he let go of Rose's hand and stepped back. "My apologies, you know I cannot stop myself when I see a beautiful woman. I did not mean any disrespect, I take it you two are together."

"Something like that," John said shortly. Rose looked at him, slightly surprised but figuring she should play along, she took a few steps toward John and took his hand.

Alejandro smiled at them, "well, back to business." He motioned for them to have a seat on a nearby sofa while he sat in a chair across from them.

Rose sat close to John, she figured she would take advantage of the situation, whatever it may be. To her relief, John didn't pull back or get uncomfortable. In fact, he put his arm around her and pulled her in closer. "I've come here to see if you've heard of a man by the name of Henry van Statten?"

Alejandro nodded and stroked his goatee, "his name has come across a few times, what kind of information are you looking for?"

"He was last seen here, in Puerto Vallarta. I need to know where I can find him?" John spoke seriously, his lighthearted tone from earlier was gone.

Alejandro let out a small laugh and smiled at John while still stoking his beard. He then turned in his seat and called to a man in the next room and he came to his side immediately.

As the two men were busy speaking Rose leaned into a John's ear. "So, are we a couple now?" She laughed gently and luckily John smiled and let out a small laugh of his own.

He leaned over and quietly whispered, "sorry, but I didn't want you to worry about fighting him off you the whole time we are here. I know how he can be around pretty girls."

"Fine with me, I can play along." she told him with a tongue in tooth grin. He smiled in return and tightened his embrace around her.

"Would you two like to be alone?" Alejandro asked them, playfully.

John's face turned two shades pinker as he suddenly loosened his grip on her. "No," he answered quickly. "Sorry, we were just talking."

"It didn't look like talking." Alejandro laughed, "Anyway, my men are contacting their sources and hopefully we will have the information you seek." He stood up from his chair, "come with me. There is lots of food, we can eat while we wait."

After an hour the three still sat at the dining table, very full from a satisfying meal. There was still no word on van Statten and now there was massive storm outside that seemed to come out of nowhere. Rose stared at the rain beating against the window, seemingly deep in thought when she felt John's hand cover hers. She looked over at him and they shared a smile.

"You seem a lot happier these days, John"," Alejandro said while watching the two of them. "You're less tense too, Rose must be good to you."

"She defiantly keeps things interesting," John said.

One of Alejandro's men entered the room and spoke with Alejandro quietly. Alejandro turned back to them, "well, van Statten did have an associate here who met up with him and the two traveled together to Durango."

"Durango?" John repeated, surprised. "What business would he have going there?"

"No idea, probably not good," Alejandro said as he started pouring three shots of tequila, placing one in front of each of them.

John wanted to protest, thinking the alcohol might be a bit strong for Rose, but as he reach a hand near the glass Rose slapped her hand over it. "There's no law here saying I can't enjoy a drink."

"I never said that," John told her as he withdrew his hand. "I just want your mind sharp when we leave here."

"Leave?" Alejandro barked out a laugh. "Do you see that storm outside? The roads will be flooded until morning."

John looked out the window, it was obvious that he did not plan for this.

"Don't worry, amigo. You can stay, I'm not going to kick you out in this weather."

John glanced out the window looking distraught, this was not what he had planned. He wanted to keep looking for van Statten but now he was trapped and Rose was trapped with him.

As if Rose knew what he was thinking, she patted his arm. "It's ok John, one more night won't hurt."

John let out a defeated huff and swallowed down the drink in front of him.

The three spent the next few hours talking. Rose hoped to learn more about John through Alejandro but even he knew very little about John himself. He spoke as if John was the biggest mystery nobody could solve.

After three more shots of the tequila, Rose was beginning to feel far too comfortable. She was no stranger to alcohol but typically she danced it off and rarely did shots. Now she sat there with a lovely buzz and John by her side.

Her hand stayed in his for most of the night and eventually she found herself slowly stoking her thumb along his, staring at every detail as if she had never seen his hands before. She then imagined what those hands would feel like on her body, his calloused fingers tracing her curves. A rush of excitement ran through her and she had to readjust herself in her seat.

John looked over at her and she was still blushing from her previous thought. "Are you all right?" He asked, noticing the redness in her cheeks.

Rose nodded, feeling as if he could see the image in her mind. "Yeah, I'm fine." She leaned back in her chair and took a breath to cool down.

He pushed a glass of water in front of her and continued his conversation with Alejandro, which Rose now realized she had not been following for quite some time. It was something about a man named Paul and what they last knew about him.

Feeling too lost to try and get involved in the conversation Rose turned her attention back to John. By this time, he had removed his leather jacket and Rose could better see his neck, broad shoulders, and the form of his back. Although he still wore a jumper she could tell he had a lot of muscle and she was really interested in seeing more.

Absentmindedly, Rose reached over and placed her hand on John's back. His speaking stopped for a moment then he continued, pretending to ignore the gesture. If Rose's head was more clear, she probably would have stopped there but the other part of her convinced her that they needed to keep up appearances if they were to look like a convincing couple.

She began stroked her hand, slowly up John's back to the bare skin of his neck. She then began to trace her finger back and forth along the hairline of his close, cropped hair. After a moment, his breath hitched and he sat back, gently taking Rose's hand from his neck and holding it in his.

He was able to keep her under control for a few moments although, he could still feel her eyes on him. He was becoming distracted by all of this and his breaking moment came when Rose's hand slipped from his and somehow found itself on his knee. His whole body tensed and he lost his train of thought completely.

Alejandro giggled at the two, "it seems to me like your lady friend is ready for bed."

"I agree," John said, thankful that he had a reason to get away from Rose in her intoxicated state.

Alejandro stood up, "I'll show you to your room."

Rose's jaw fell open when she looked at John but he couldn't look at her. He didn't even say anything, he just stood up and followed his friend. Rose trailed behind with so many ideas in her head. The last thing she expected to happen at the end of the night was to be sleeping in a room alone with John.

Trailing behind them, she entered the room which Alejandro had led them. It was a decent sized room with a very large bed, just one bed. There was an attached en suite with a walk-in shower and double sink. She walked across the room to a window and gazed out, watching the rain pound down in the garden just outside.

She heard Alejandro excuse himself and listened to the door close. Suddenly the room felt ten times smaller. She couldn't bring herself to turn around, she just stared out the window. She could feel John's presence behind her, not close but she was very aware that he was there.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I promise you, I didn't plan this. I can sleep on the floor, you can have the bed."

"No," Rose said immediately, surprising her as well as John. She turned around slowly to face him but kept her eyes trained on the floor. "You…" she stuttered, "you can sleep in the bed."

"Rose, you don't have to…"

Rose held her hand up to cut him off, she stood tall now and found her courage. "John, we are two mature adults. That is a huge bed, I'm sure we are capable of sharing it. It doesn't need to be weird."

Rose was ready for him to protest but was caught by surprise when he shrugged and smiled, "fair enough." He then plopped himself on the left side of the bed and laid back with his hands behind his head and his legs crossed.

Rose stared at him in disbelief, how could he suddenly be so calm? "Aren't you going to change?"

"I don't have any sleep clothes, this is fine," he then kicked off his boots and continued to relax.

"Right," Rose said, still feeling puzzled. "I'm gonna go change then, yeah," and she retreated to the en suite with her bag. She shut the door behind her and exhaled slowly. What had she gotten herself into?

In the other room, John laid on the bed and when he heard Rose shut the door his smile diminished. He was putting on a brave face for her, hoping to make her feel less uncomfortable but now he was fighting an inner battle of his own. What was he supposed to do now? Would he even be able to sleep knowing she is in the bed right next to him? He then reflected on the events at the dinner table and how she was touching him and his cock began to twitch.

He groaned and then sat up, he needed a distraction. He grabbed his duffle bag and dug around, pulling out a book. He laid back down and flipped through the pages, finding a page, any page, and began reading. Soon after, he heard the door open and without looking directly at Rose, he peeked at her out of the corner of his eye. She was wearing she shortest shorts imaginable and a form fitting t-shirt. As she walked to the bed, he could see her breasts bounce and he was fairly certain that she wasn't wearing a bra. This was going to kill him; did she know that?

She slipped under the covers and although the bed was large, she felt so close. She leaned over, "what are you reading?"

He closed the book, showing her the cover, "Charles Dickens." He smiled with pride as he opened the book back to his page and continued reading.

"Oh," Rose said sounding surprised.

John stopped reading and looked at Rose, slightly offended. "What do you mean, oh?"

"I'm sorry," Rose said as she rolled on her side and propped her head up on her hand. "It's just so…classic. I thought you would be reading something more like Tom Clancy."

"Nah," he said, finding his smile again. "I grew up on Dickens, I like the classics." He turned his attention back on the book and Rose stayed in her position. John felt her staring when he glanced back, "do you like Dickens?"

"Yeah," Rose nodded, "I think, I only read 'A Tale of Two Cities' and that's because it was for school. I saw a Christmas Story and I liked that too."

"Well, you know what they say, the book is better than the movie," John teased. "Dickens wrote lots of stories but people only focus on a small few."

"So, which one is that?" she asked.

"It's a collection of ghost stories," his enthusiasm radiated as he spoke. "Some of my favorites."

"Are they scary," she asked.

"Not in your modern sense. It is very disturbing though." He looked back at the words on the page once again, noting her silence and the fact that she was still not moving from her position. Unsure what to say, or do, next he asked, "do you want me to read one?"

Rose's eyes widened in surprise, the thought of him reading to her was not only comforting but also romantic. She wasn't sure if that was the angle he was trying for but it was very appealing to her. "Sure," she told him cheerfully.

His grin widened as he began flipping through the book, "here we go, 'The Signalman.' It's always been a favorite of mine." He began to read, his right hand holding the book and his free had resting on his stomach. Rose inched closer and rested her head on his shoulder while taking his free hand in hers. She could have blamed it on the alcohol in her system for making her seem more affectionate, but John just made her feel comfortable and it felt right.

John didn't flinch when she touched him nor did he question her action, he just accepted it as he continued to read. It wasn't long before that free arm found itself wrapped around Rose, as she cuddled against him. Her head now rested on his chest as she continued listening to him read mixed with the sound of his heartbeat under her ear. Although she did find the story fascinating, she couldn't help but doze off in his arms. In this moment, she truly felt safe.

John lowered his voice and continued reading, although he was aware that Rose was no longer fully awake. He read all the way to the end and when he finished, she did not stir. Unsure of what to do next, he gently put the book down on the bedside table and settled down into the bed, careful not to wake her. Without the distraction of the story, he was now more focused on the feel of Rose's body against his and he breathed in the scent of her hair. She let out a small sigh and began to move, John frowned because he didn't want her to pull away. To his surprise, even in her sleep state, she reached across him and wrapped her arm around his waist and squeezed herself, tightly, into him.

John couldn't control the smile on his face as he looked down at her, wishing he could freeze time and stay in this moment forever. As he continued to watch her, he could almost feel a band tightening around his heart and John knew that he was in trouble.