Rose POV

"So what have you found out?" I asked Jerome.

We had only been talking about Trudy, and we still hadn't officially made up yet. It was maddening. I tried to make it so we hadn't had to fight, and we ended up fighting anyway. Great.

"Jasper is working for someone called 'The Collector.' He's the one who took my dad's gem. He thinks the Collector took Trudy and we need something that belonged to the Frobisher-Smythes to ransom her with."

"The Collector," I murmured under my breath.

"Yeah. He's obsessed with things belonging to the Frobisher-Smythes, so look for them."

"I will," I assure him, not really paying attention. "Listen, Jerome, promise me something. Promise me you won't get too involved in this Collector business."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I just have a really bad feeling about it, and I don't want to lose you. I already almost lost you to Rufus last year, and I didn't even know because you stopped writing me just then."

"I'm sorry. But what bad feeling do you have about the Collector?"

"Nothing. I don't know right now if it's an actual vision, or if I'm just being paranoid. But please promise me," I begged.

He hesitated before answering. "I promise."

O-o-O

"Dollhouse?" I asked. I thought I heard him wrong.

"Yeah, you remember that old dollhouse Alfie gave to Amber when he was still trying to get her to go out with him. Well turns out it was Sarah's and the Collector is interested. If we give it to him, he might give Trudy back. Can you help me get it?"

"I don't know, Jerome. I have a bad feeling about the Collector, and you promised me you wouldn't get too involved—"

"But this is for Trudy—"

"I have a feeling the Collector is Rufus," I blurted.

He froze. "Rufus is dead, Rose."

"What if he's not? His family and Sarah's were good friends, it makes sense he would want her stuff."

"No. I refuse to believe it. He's dead. Are you going to help me or not?" he asked.

"Don't you trust me?" I asked.

"No."

Jerome can really piss me off sometimes.

O-o-O

"They don't have the dollhouse," I said vaguely.

"What? Where could it have gone?"

"I don't know, maybe—"

"Vera!" Jerome exclaimed. "She took my dad's gem, remember? She would take the dollhouse! We should search her room!"

"Okay," I said, and followed him up. We arrived at the attic and I basically led Jerome on a wild goose chase (luckily I'm not as dumb or weird as Alfie) for the dollhouse which I knew wasn't in there.

"Vera's coming," I warned suddenly, and Jerome dove under her bed, while I went to the closet where I found Nina and Fabian.

"What are you doing here?" Fabian asked.

"What are you doing here?" I countered.

"Who cares?" Nina hissed as she pulled me in just before Vera came in the room.

Her phone rang and she started talking to someone.

"Rufus," I breathed.

"What?" Nina asked.

"Nothing," I whispered.

Vera kept talking to 'Rufus,' or who I thought was Rufus, because I still wasn't sure. She said something about letting "those foolish kids" continue the search and that she'll "deal with Victor." Then she left.

"I'll explain later," I hissed before getting out of the closet and meeting Jerome, who I didn't think noticed Nina and Fabian in there. "It's not here," I said. "Let's forget it and look for something else."

"But the Collector is specifically waiting for the—"

"I know," I cut him off, "but if we offer him something else, we're in the clear. Let's go."

We left Vera's room and went downstairs, and as we passed Victor's office, Jerome saw the riddle doll.

"What about this?" he asked. He pulled the string and it began talking, and he smiled and said, "Perfect."

That night, Jerome and I were about to leave to bring Jasper the doll when we were stopped by Sibuna.

"What are you doing?" Fabian asked.

"What are you doing?" I asked. Deja vu much? Fabian waited for an explaination from either me or jerome.

"We're going for a walk," Jerome said slowly.

"This late?" Alfie asked.

I rolled my eyes and me and Jerome left before they could question us further.

We got to the library and gave Jasper the doll, who was very happy about it for some reason. Jerome asked Jasper where he was meeting the Collector, and Jasper answered, not paying attention.

"Let's get back to the house," I said to Jerome, and led him out. Then I rounded on him. "You're not actually thinking about going to the heathe, are you?"

"Yep. I need to find out who this Collector is, and what Vera's got to do with it. Go home," he added. "It's going to rain."

"No way. I don't approve of this at all, but I'm going with you. If you want me back at the house you're going to have to take me there yourself and keep me there."

"No. You're going home!" he demanded.

"Jerome Clarke, are you trying to protect me?" I asked.

"I am, but you'd already proved yourself unable to be protected. Let's just go," he sighed, surrendering. We arrived at the heathe and hid behind a gate. It started raining, and Jerome pulled me close into a hug, sheltering me from the rain. "Listen, I don't want to fight with you, and I get why you did what you did. Okay? Forgive me? Because I hate fighting with you."

I nodded and just then a car drove up across from Jasper. Vera stepped out and so did the Collector. Jasper gave him the doll and he threw it aside and threatened Jasper to find the dollhouse.

Jerome shifted his position, causing them to hear us. Vera came to investigate, but didn't find us. I breathed a sigh of relief and snuggled closer to Jerome, because he was warm. He kissed the top of my head as Vera, the Collector, and Jasper drove off, and we were alone.

AN: Few notes. One. The part of Rufus being the Collector. Amazing fun fact for you; I wrote this chapter about a week before we actually found out who it was. Maybe I'm psychic like Rose! Two. I hate Jara. Would you mind terribly if I changed the Jara arc a bit, since it's a Jerome/OC story and we all know Jara isn't going to last anyway? Because honestly, no writers know how to do this kind of couple right. I personally like the old pranky Jerome, before he changed for Mara, and putting those two together is a time bomb waiting to blow. It doesn't have to be, I've just seen this couple way too many times I know the sequence by heart. Three. It is extremely boring typing chapters I've already written. I want to post them but lack the motivation. No pressure. But reviews are always welcome and make me happy. So if you review, I might just update faster. Food for thought. Long author's note. Sorry. Love, Rose.