After three long days in the hospital for observation, Jack was finally able to go home. At his request, Rose was the one transporting him back to the Dawsons. She had been rather quiet during his stay at the hospital and he felt that they could use as much alone time as possible. Rose was of course honored, yet nervous. The fact that Julie glared at her when Jack said he wanted Rose to take him didn't help matters any.

After helping him into her car and getting him settled, she slid behind the wheel and was startled when he placed a hand over hers on the steering wheel.

"Can we talk?" He asked. He had sensed the tension between Julie and Rose and it had gotten him concerned. He had thought the two girls had called a truce, but now it felt like it did when he and Rose had first gotten together, except a couple of degrees worse and he didn't like it. He loved his cousin and he loved Rose. He didn't want them fighting.

"Sure," Rose started the car and backed out of the parking lot, unaware of his concerns.

"What is with you and Julie? I can cut the tension between you two with a knife," Jack questioned. No one had told him about Julie blaming Rose for the accident, not wanting to upset him. Rose had hoped that he hadn't noticed, but of course he did. He was so in tuned to the people around him; it'd be strange if he didn't.

Rose inwardly sighed and kept her eyes on the road. He wished that he hadn't asked her. She didn't want to upset him, not this soon after he got out of the hospital. "It doesn't matter."

"Rose…"

"It doesn't. Your opinion is the only one that matters," Rose continued to drive.

"And my opinion is that you two aren't getting along again and I want to know why," Jack replied, becoming annoyed. "Look, you said that truth is important to a relationship. So be truthful with me now and tell me what's going on with you and Julie?"

She stopped at the red light and looked at him. She couldn't lie to him, but she couldn't hurt him either and it'd hurt him to know what was going on between her and Julie. "We're just not getting along at the moment. It'll work itself out."

Jack frowned, not satisfied with the answer, but realizing that was probably all he was going to get out of Rose. She's been a little distant since the accident as well, like she was walking on eggshells. Afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing and it was driving him crazy, because that wasn't them. They've never been like that with each other. It was like she was afraid of making a wrong move.

"Can we go somewhere to talk alone?" Jack asked, wanting to get down to the bottom of whatever was going on with Rose. He wanted things to be the way they were before their little estrangement. He didn't want things like they were now. Like she was afraid to make a wrong move, or say the wrong thing.

"If we don't go straight to your house, I am sure they'll have a search party out looking for us."

"So that would be a no," Jack sighed, sitting back in his seat and looking out the window, giving up for now.

Rose felt guiltier than she already did. Jack was trying to talk to her, trying to find out what was wrong so he could fix it, but she couldn't allow it. Not right now anyway. He had just gotten out of the hospital and didn't need the stress.

Finally they pulled up in front of the Dawson house and parked. Jack got out of the car and waited for Rose to do the same. Once she was out of the car and locked it, they both headed into the house where there was a banner saying welcome home hanging from the ceiling and everyone jumped out from behind the furniture with a loud "Surprise!"

"Oh wow, I had no idea. There was no need for a party," Jack laughed. He looked at Rose with a smile. "Did you know that they were going to do this?"

"Not really," Rose gave a small smile, not really surprised that she didn't know. Feeling Julie's dislike, she still kept her distance from the group.

"We just thought that you deserved a decent welcome home party," Tommy laughed. "Don't worry. We kept it with just the inner circle here. The whole school won't show up."

Jack just laughed. "Thanks guys. This means a lot."

"Mom and dad made a special lunch. It should be done soon," Julie replied, nodding towards the kitchen.

"I look forward to it," Jack chuckled.

"Come on you guys, let Jack sit down. This is first few minutes home," Tommy chuckled.

"No one is standing in his way," Fabrizio laughed, stepping back, giving his friend space.

"Well someone definitely needs to give him space," Julie eyed Rose.

"Rose is just fine. She's where she belongs," Tommy glared at Julie.

Jack sighed, sensing the return of the tension. "Maybe Rose and I will just go upstairs to my room. No offense, but I'm not really in the party mood." At least he wasn't with Julie and Rose glaring at each other like rivals or something.

"Come on Jack, everyone is here to spend time with you. You and Rose can go to Jack and Rose land later," Julie frowned.

"Actually, I think it's a good idea. Jack and Rose need some alone time anyways," Tommy chuckled. "We'll be here for lunch and afterwards, right now, let's give Jack his space and let him get settled."

"I don't see why she gets to go upstairs with him then," Julie continued on, not caring about the glares that everyone was sending her.

Finally, Jack had enough.

"Because she's my girl and where I go, she goes. That should be a good enough explanation. Now if you'll excuse us," Jack grabbed Rose's hand and led her up to his room where he closed the door.

Once alone, he turned to her, not looking at all happy. Rose knew he had questions, but she didn't know if she could be the one to answer them.

"Do you want to explain what that was about? I feel like it's the beginning of the year again," Jack frowned.

Rose just shrugged. "I don't know how to explain it. I don't want you to be mad."

"Well, I am already mad if you haven't noticed. Something is going on between you two and no one is telling me what it is. It's very frustrating."

Tears appeared in Rose's eyes, as she hugged her shoulders and looked away from him. "I'm sorry..."

Jack sighed, feeling guilty for that outburst. He was just so tired of being kept in the dark and of everyone being so weird. He was at the end of his rope. But still, he shouldn't take it out on Rose. By all appearances, enough was being taken out on her as it is.

"No, I'm sorry," Jack sighed, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "I don't mean to take my frustration out on you. I just want you to talk to me so I can fix whatever this is."

"Maybe it shouldn't be fixed. Maybe..."

"Rose, just talk to me."

Rose opened her mouth to speak when there was a knock at the door.

"Hey, everything is ready, Jack. Come join us," Uncle Phil spoke through the door.

"I guess we should get downstairs," Rose moved to walk to the door, but Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"This isn't over. I am going to find out what's going on, Rose."

Couldn't he understand that she was just trying to spare him? Why was he being so insistent? This thing with Julie wasn't anything new and it wasn't something that she couldn't handle.

"It's nothing that I can't handle, Jack. Don't worry about it," Rose sighed before walking out the door.

Jack just stood there for a moment, frustrated. Why wouldn't she talk to him? The accident didn't leave him weak or feeble. He could handle whatever it was. He didn't need her to shield him from it. He just needed her to talk to him.

When they reached downstairs, everyone was seated. There were two seats waiting for Jack and Rose between Phil and Beth. The food on the table was most of Jack's favorites and he couldn't keep his mouth from watering at the sight of it.

"Uncle Phil, Aunt Beth, this looks great. You didn't have to," Jack stammered.

"It wouldn't be a proper welcome home without all the things you like," Beth winked. "Come you two. Sit, while it's still hot."

Rose took the seat between Jack and Beth, keeping her distance from Julie. She sighed, thinking that only a few weeks ago she felt comfortable here in this house, but now she felt anything but. But she wasn't going to dwell on that. She was going to pretend that everything was as it used to be, or at least pretend to for Jack's sake.

But none of it was lost on Jack. During lunches, he would catch the way Julie would look at Rose sometimes or what she said which could be considered little jabs at Rose. Rose for her part was being mature and ignoring it, but Jack was at his breaking point.

Phil had offered coffee to go with the cake that Beth had prepared and was getting up to get it when Julie made a crack about how some people should get their own coffee instead of depending on others to get it for them.

Rose stiffened as the room got dangerously quiet. Everyone except for the adults looked at Rose and then back at Julie, but it was Jack who said something.

"Okay, I've had it. What is your problem with Rose this time, Julie? I'm not stupid, so don't say nothing. We all know that was aimed towards Rose. I've been ignoring it because she asked me to, but I'm not ignoring it anymore. Do you want to enlighten me or shall I ask some of the others?" Jack glared at his cousin, clear anger in his voice.

"Jack…," Rose tried to intervene, not wanting him so upset, even though it was too late and he most obviously was beyond upset. He was furious.

"No, Rose. I've tried it your way. I tried to ignore her, but I can't anymore. I want to know what's going on now."

Julie said nothing. She suddenly realized that she had pushed too far this time. She just bowed her head and looked at her plate.

"Jack, dear. Rose is right. It's not good for you to get so upset," Beth tried to defuse the situation.

"I'm already upset, Aunt Beth. I won't have anyone picking on Rose. Not any of her old friends and especially not any of mine."

Tommy placed his fork down, having enough himself. Jack deserved to know what was going on and how it was affecting his girlfriend. He had tried to keep quiet as well, but obviously, Julie wanted her cousin to hate her.

"I'll tell you, mate. Since obviously, your cousin there is not smart enough to let it rest," Tommy glared at Julie then looked at Jack. "The truth is, Julie's been blaming Rose for your accident from the moment it happened and she hasn't let up since. The rest of us took up for Rose of course, but you know Julie. She never knows when to fucking stop."

Tommy then looked at Julie, his gaze hard. "I told you that I'd tell Jack if you didn't stop. I told you that I had no problem letting him know how you were treating his girl and that he wouldn't be happy with you."

The room fell silent. Rose wanted to disappear, hating that she was the cause all the tension. She looked down at her empty plate, wishing to be somewhere else, anywhere else but there.

"Is that why Rose was blaming herself for the accident?" Jack's voice had a quiet edge to it. It was clear that he barely holding back his anger. How dare Julie. How dare she blame Rose for any of what had happened. If it was anyone's fault but Nathan Hockley's, it was his own for being out driving that night. Why blame Rose?

"You bet it was. She was even thinking of breaking up with you because of it. I'm glad that she changed her mind," Tommy continued.

"How dare you. How dare you do that to her," Jack glared at Julie, anger and hurt was clear in his voice. He had thought that Julie was finally accepting Rose. That she would no longer give her a hard time. But the minute something happened and he was out of commission, she was back to treating Rose like enemy number one.

"Well, if she had…," Julie tried but again Jack wasn't letting her off the hook.

"If nothing! What happened was not Rose's fault! None of it was! So what we had a rough patch. We had made up! If you want to blame someone, blame Nathan Hockley, but you leave Rose alone! Don't talk to her, don't look at her, do not even say her name! I mean it Julie! It is ending right now!"

"Fine. But when she breaks your heart again, or causes another accident, don't expect me to be there to witness it," Julie glared back at her cousin.

"She didn't cause this accident and I'm the one that broke her heart, not the other way around. So you can just stop blaming her for that too."

"Fine," Julie got up, finished eating. "I'm glad we got that settled. Rose can do no wrong."

"Julie, sit down," Phil ordered, also having enough of the tension. "I've about had enough of you as well. Finish your dessert, and then you may go to your room. Your cousin deserves some time with his friends without your causing all this strife."

"In fact, take your cake young lady and go to your room," Beth ordered her cheeks red from embarrassment.

"Fine," Julie picked up her slice of cake and left the table, leaving everyone staring at her empty seat.

"I'd like to apologize to both you and Jack, Rose," Beth sighed, feeling somewhat responsible since it was her daughter. "She had no right to treat Rose the way she's been treating her."

"It's not your fault, Aunt Beth. It's Julie's. No one's but hers," Jack answered, his voice hard, yet tired.

The rest of the day was calm. With Julie up in her room, the tension was gone. Everyone sat in the living room, watching TV and listening to music. Finally, they all began to go home, exhausted from the day's events and looking forward to school in the morning.

Jack walked Rose to her car. He held her hand in his as they stood against the vehicle, not really wanting to say good-bye. Rose still felt a little out of sorts, but she was in a better mood than she was earlier and allowed herself to enjoy just being close to Jack. She smiled as he again ran his fingers through her hair.

"I'm so sorry for all the shit you had to put up with these past few weeks," Jack sighed.

"It's not your fault..."

"Come on, some of it was. Especially that week we weren't talking. If I had never lied to you, it wouldn't have happened. But you already know all of that."

"Yes, I do and you've already been forgiven fully for that," Rose sighed, not liking to even think about that week she had punished them both.

"I'm especially sorry for Julie blaming you for the accident...was that way you said that you were cursed and why you tried to break up with me?"

Rose winced at the memory and shrugged. "Not the whole reason. I've been feeling like I was cursed for a while, but I guess her blaming me for the accident just compounded it."

Jack shook his head, cursing his cousin for this. "Don't listen to her, Rose. You are not cursed. And the only person responsible for that accident was Nathan Hockley. May he rest in hell. I'd go through it again if it meant helping karma get him."

"Don't say that Jack," Rose stared at him with tears in her eyes. "I'm not sorry he's dead, but I wouldn't ever risk you to get justice on him. I just wouldn't. I love you too much."

Jack wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close. "And I love you too much to let you shoulder any of the blame of what happened. It wasn't your fault. It never was. Please, stop blaming yourself, Rose. I know that you say you aren't, but you still are. I can tell."

"It's not that easy...I know it wasn't in my mind...but in my heart...I feel differently," She clung to him, burying her face against his chest. "I know that I don't deserve you. I don't deserve what we have...but I can't it give up..."

"I don't want you to give it up," he made her look at him, placing a gentle finger under her chin and lifting her gaze until their eyes met. "And I will keep telling you that it's not your fault until you begin to feel it. I promise. I'm not going to let drown in self-blame. Not over this or anything else."

Rose smiled and sniffed back her tears. How she came to be so lucky to have someone like Jack in her life was a mystery to her, but she wasn't going to question it. She may feel like she didn't deserve Jack, but as long as he felt that she was deserving of his love, she wasn't going to question it. She was just going to love him back, twice as much.

"I love you, Rose. More than anything."

"I love you too...more than you'd ever know..."

"I guess I'll let you go now. We'll be leaving on that cruise in a few more weeks and I'm barely ready," Jack chuckled.

"Do you want to go shopping for it? I brought so much already, but I'd really like to go with you," Rose smiled, thinking of herself and Jack at the mall shopping together. She wondered if he'd let her pick out some of his clothes.

"That would be awesome," Jack laughed, pulling her into a deep kiss.

She was breathless when the kiss ended and she wished she could have more. "I better go now...school tomorrow..."

"You're picking me up, right?"

"Of course," Rose smiled, kissing him one more time. She made herself step away and get into the car. "Seven thirty sharp."

"Right," Jack chuckled. He was going to miss his car, but he didn't mind driving with Rose. Just as long as they were together. "Bye Rose..."

"Bye, Jack. See you tomorrow," She waved, starting the car and driving off, feeling thankful that things were finally getting back to normal with them.