They returned to the bed and breakfast right after dinner. Everyone was pretty tired, so they all turned in for the evening after bidding each other good-night. To no one's surprise, Jack and Rose took a little longer. It was Julie who finally dragged Rose away from Jack. Once up in their room, both girls were getting ready to go to bed.

"You know, I was wrong about you when we first met," Julie admitted, not looking up from her suitcase once she had fished out her pink flannel pajamas. "You are good for Jack. I'm sorry for the hard time I gave you."

"What made you see the light, besides that one conversation we had?" Rose asked, curious.

"You're always ready to defend him. No matter what and you're always ready to comfort him. You're always ready to be whatever he needs. I see that now. You're a good girlfriend. I was wrong for prejudging you the way I did."

Rose had to admit that she was surprised. Sure, she and Julie had called a truce, but she had never expected an actual apology from the girl. It was a welcome surprised though. It'll make Jack happy.

"I understand why you did. The girl is a piece of work, even by White Star Academy standards. You were just protecting Jack. I would have acted the same way in your shoes. You're forgiven."

"Hopefully you're meet more of Jack's old friends tomorrow. They're not like Meagan at all. In fact, I found it strange that she was even part of the group," Julie shrugged. "You'll like them."

"I'm sure I will," Roses smiled, taking her own green silk nightgown out of her own suitcase.

Julie eyed the nightgown and laughed. "Did you really think my dad was going to let you two share a room?"

Rose blushed and shrugged. Honestly, she hadn't known what to expect. She just knew that she always wanted to look her best for Jack, whether they were asleep or awake.

"To be honest, I really didn't know. I just wanted to look nice for him, just in case."

"Girl, you'll always look nice to my cousin. No matter what you wear. Jack thinks that you're the most beautiful girl in the world. You can never not look good in his eyes."

Rose blushed again and laughed. "Oh I'm sure that opinion will change once he sees me with bed hair."

Julie just laughed and shook her head. "I'm just glad that I'm not at that point with Derrick yet. I am not ready for him to see me before the morning ritual."

"How are things with you and Derrick, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Slow and steady. We're at the friend stage right now. We're getting to know one another. I certainly have more in common with him than I did with Tommy."

"It's good that you and Tommy can remain friends though."

"Yeah. We definitely are better friends than we ever were lovers. It's funny how that turned out," Julie slipped on her pajamas and then slid into bed. "Just like it's funny that my cousin's taste in girls doesn't seem to suck after all. He finally got it right."

"Let's just hope he keeps seeing it that way," Rose sighed, slipping into her own nightgown and into the twin bed she had picked out for herself. She sighed, staring up at the ceiling, her mind going back to that meeting with Meagan. "She sure was pretty though. You don't think Jack is still attracted to her, do you?"

Julie laughed. "Not in the slightest. Don't worry about it."

"She's definitely not as messed up as I am. No need to worry about flashbacks when making out with her...," Rose winced, not knowing why she was going there tonight, but she just couldn't stop herself. She loved Jack more than anything. He was the only good thing in her life that she had left. She couldn't lose him, yet she was so afraid that the baggage she carried would somehow push him away, even though he's been the picture of patience.

"She's plenty messed up. Maybe not in the same way, but where it matters she is. Jack loves you and when you love someone...you'll wait for them for as long as it takes. Look, I've seen how Jack had looked at her when they were together and I see how he looks at you. There's no comparison. You hold his heart in the palm of your hand. Why else would I have been so over protective?"

"I just hope that he's happy with me and not reminded of the things we have yet to do with each other."

"Really, you have nothing to worry about, Rose. Jack is over Meagan. You're his girl now, in all ways that matter," Julie reassured, before turning on her side to drift to sleep.

It took a few more minutes for Rose to drift off herself and in those two minutes she thought about the confrontation with Meagan. Indeed, Jack hadn't seemed interested in her at all. He was rather indifferent to be honest. Julie was right. There was nothing to worry about. Rose fell asleep feeling secure about her relationship with Jack. She loved him and he loved her. That was that.

…..

Saturday was the wake and all of the teens that had known Mr. Grant was there, which meant all of Jack's old friends were in attendance. Jack and Julie found themselves surrounded by old friends and catching up. Jack of course spent most of that time introducing Rose to everyone,who all seemed rather pleased to meet her and happy that Jack had gotten over the break up that had happened before he had left town.

Now, two hours after the start of the wake, everyone walked into the room where the body was laid out for viewing. Rose clutched Jack's hand as they entered. She felt him tremble as he looked down at the face of his old mentor, tears of grief and regret were falling from his sea-foam eyes.

"Mr. Grant...I had thought I'd see you again someday. That I could come back here a successful artist and make you proud. I had no idea you were sick...if I had...I'd made more of an effort to come back at least once to see you,"Jack spoke to the body, knowing that the man couldn't hear him, but feeling better for it all the same.

"I wish I had known him, too," Rose squeezed his hand, holding it in a tight grip.

"He would have liked you. You're the kind of girl that he once said I deserved, that was after Meagan dumped me."

"What kind of girl is that?"

"Classy. Sweet. Loving. Beautiful, even on your worse day. Someone who fits me. And I think you do."

Rose smiled and leaned in to give him a quick kiss. "That's good, because you definitely fit me."

The room suddenly grew quiet. Jack looked up to see Meagan and her boyfriend enter. He had to roll his eyes. What was she doing here? Mr. Grant didn't necessarily like her, even when they were dating.

Meagan walked up and stood next to Jack and Rose, eyeing the body. "He looks good. Poor thing hadn't looked this nice in a long time."

"So you suddenly care about Mr. Grant?" Jack asked, the disbelief was clear in his voice.

"I'm just paying my respects. He may not have been my mentor like he was to you and your friends, but he was a good man. It's sad that he's gone. Chippewa Falls don't have many teachers like him," Meagan shrugged. "It's good of you to come back to say good bye Jack."

"Why wouldn't I? He helped me through three of the hardest times of my life."

"When are you heading back to L.A?"

"Tomorrow morning. We're just here to say good bye and I don't want to run the risk of running into..."

Jack's words faded as a tall man with black hair and a brown eyes, dressed in black entered the room. Jack's expression went from shock to angry. "What the hell is he doing here?"

"He works for the funeral home. His parole officer got him the job," Micheal came up and stood beside Jack. "The whole town was pissed off when he got out of jail. It took Meagan's boyfriend's father to help get him this gig."

"That figures," Jack turned his glare on Meagan. "After what he did to my family..."

"I didn't know! I had no idea that Brett's family was helping him! I loved Lisa too, you know..."

"Yeah, we all know how you show that love," Julie had rushed over to Jack after seeing the one man they had all hoped to avoid.

"My family owns the organization that helps paroled criminals find jobs. It was nothing personal," Brett explained, feeling awkward.

"Well I hope that your family helping that monster doesn't lead to another young girl's life being ruined," Julie crossed her arms, her eyes sweeping the room for her father. The sooner they got Jack out of here, the better.

"You're acting like it's Brett's fault," Meagan glared at Julie.

"Jack, we should go to the car," Rose squeezed his hand, trying to remind him of her presence.

Jack opened his mouth to answer, but the widening of Julie's eyes stopped him. He turned around and came face to face with the man that had destroyed his family.

"Jack, it's good to see you again. I heard about your parents. My condolences," was the man's simple reply.

"Like you care. After what you did to my sister...it should be you in that coffin," Jack growled, Rose's tight grip on his hand keeping him from losing his hold on his temper.

"Jack! Julie! Rose! To the car right now!" Uncle Phil marched up, spotting the confrontation.

"I was just paying my condolences," The man began, but was interrupted by Phil.

"I know exactly what you were doing. You've done enough to my brother's family. I don't know how the people in this town can stomach the fact that you're allowed to walk among decent people. Kids, to the car now I said!" Phil ushered the three teens under his charge out of the building and to the rental car he had rented just that morning.

"So that was...," Rose began then left off, not really wanting to say it.

"Yeah," was Jack's tense answer. "I had hoped that we wouldn't run into him. Figures that he'd be stalking Mr. G's funeral."

Rose wrapped her arms around him and had him rest his head against her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, baby. I wish that you could've avoided him all together."

"I do know one thing. This was it for me and this town. I'm never coming back after today."

"Are you sure about that?" Julie asked, peering into the backseat. "This is where Lisa and your parents are buried."

"That's just their bodies. It's not them. Besides, didn't you sense how I don't belong here anymore? Everyone's moved on with their lives. Made new friends, have different interests. It's been too long. It's best just to put Chippewa Falls behind me," Jack sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted. It's been a really emotional day. He just wanted to curl up with Rose somewhere and just go to sleep.

"I think it's for the best as well," Uncle Phil nodded. "It's time we all said good-bye to Chippewa Falls."

Rose watched the scenery pass by as they drove back to the bed and breakfast. This really had been a cozy little town, and maybe Jack had been happy here once...but that happiness was turned into bitter despair and she had to agree with Jack. He would indeed be better off just putting the town behind him once and for all and look forward to the future, which included a life in New York City after this year.

The next morning found Rose and the Dawsons on a plane heading back to LA. They came, they saw, and now they were leaving, never to return again.