A/N: Thanks so much for all your reviews. It would be nice however, if it weren't only the same four people, who were constantly reviewing. Come on people don't be so lazy. I know that more people are reading this story not only Jessika, Rachel, Leah, Lili and BChmali.

Special thanks to the five of you :-)


Jack felt the eyes of the little girl staring at him.

It was scary and frightening.

How had he actually ended up with them? He slightly remembered that Rose and he had gone to one of their meetings with Patricia Harrison again. That was the first part. The second was her husband coming in with their daughters.

Both of them had instantly recognized and Jack had immediately noted how fond they were of her. Rose had smiled at them, told them that she hoped to be spending more time with them soon. Jack didn't remember much from the actual gathering, but he did recall Brian and Patricia leaving the room for a while, leaving the children with Rose and him.

They had whispered to each other and Jack had instantly noticed how the children, especially the little one, Claire, had looked shocked and withdrawn to the edge of the room.

'I won't let you do this!' he had heard a scream from Patricia wishing that he could've understood more.

But with Rose and the children sitting around, Jack hadn't thought it very wisely to be eavesdropping. He couldn't know of course that Louisa had similar thoughts.

They had come out after a while, Patricia looking deranged like someone, who had just been told that he would die tomorrow.

Claire had immediately run up to her mother and hugged her. Louisa however had shot her father a look, as if asking permission before joining her.

'Maybe you would like to spend a day with your husband…to discuss everything?'

Jack hadn't been able to stop her although he knew that it wasn't the best idea. In fact Patricia hadn't happy about her offer as well, but was committed to say yes, when Brian did.

'We'll spend a nice day with them, Jack,' she had whispered into his year. 'They've obviously been trough much already and we should just give them…well you know.'

They had gone back to his work, barely spending twenty minutes together, when there had been a phone call from none other than Patricia herself.

She must've regretted her decision, but lied telling Rose that she wanted to see her to talk with her alone about her problems. In a way Jack thought that Patricia herself was much more in need for help than Rose.

But he hadn't said anything, simply letting Rose decide.

'I know that I shouldn't leave them alone now. But I might never get a chance to be seeing them again,' she had whispered though knowing that they would be hurt.

Jack had only nodded, understanding what she meant.

There was something completely wrong with Patricia and Rose had obviously taken up the task to find out her secret.

He however instantly noted the hurt expression on Claire's face, when Rose announced that she needed to go. This girl was so worrisome. Louisa had come up hugging her sister and telling her that Rose surely would come back soon.

What a strange family!

Now here he was with two children he knew nothing about other than their names, with one of them having seemingly the same strange personality as her mother.

While Claire was staring at him not saying a word, her sister was looking around the room, moving up and down. Jack didn't know how old they were, but guessed Louisa around ten, Claire maybe six. She couldn't be older.

"Have you done something of this by yourself, Mr. Dawson?"

Jack head shot up and he turned to Louisa.

"What? Oh no, we just sell them…," he said looking back at Claire, who had was still standing in the edge of the room afraid of something.

Of me?

It was the most possible think.

Louisa was suddenly standing beside him, obviously noticing his confusion.

"Don't worry, Mr. Dawson. You're not responsible…Claire is just not very open minded," she told him.

Jack was sure that there was more to this story, but decided to leave it for now. Louisa surely knew more. She seemed to be much more mature for her young age and was, at least from what Jack had seen so far, acting much more like a mother to her sister than Patricia.

"You know, dear, you don't have to be afraid of me," he said to Claire slowly moving up to her, but Louisa instantly held him back.

"It's not the right time," she warned him firmly shaking her head.

Silently Jack stopped and watched as Louisa walked up to her sister whispering something in her ear.

Claire had seemed happy, when seeing her mother earlier that day, but something just hadn't been right. The kiss she had given her mother had been more out of duty than of love.

What am I thinking?

Patricia is probably just having a harsh time.

But even Rose had her first doubts now about her and her seemingly perfect family.

"Maybe you would like something to eat?" he heard Louisa asking Claire and saw the child quickly nodding as if being scared that Jack would notice.

Well he did notice and only wondered more.

"Mr. Dawson, have you probably chocolate or some other sweets?"

Jack snapped out of his daydream.

"Sure, yes…," he stammered moving back to his desk, searching for something he could offer them.

He found really some chocolate to give them.

"Here," he told Louisa handing her the chocolate knowing it was better if she gave it to her sister. Claire had by now sat down on the floor and only slowly took the chocolate from her sister's hands.

Jack shook his head. Something very bad must've happened to this child and Louisa was seemingly the only one that she had trust.

He could see how Claire more or less still afraid ate the rest of the chocolate together with Louisa. Louisa had taken her sister by the hand and managed to get her to set down on a chair instead of the cold floor.

If only Rose would be here, she would surely know what to do.

Jack sighed. He had always believed that he was good with children and normally they loved him, but with this girl was simply shocking him. Her acting had nothing in common with those of a funny little girl and yet Rose had told him that at their first meeting she had been running around and makes grimaces.

'But something happened later on.'

The only person, who seemed to be able to get closer to her, was her sister Louisa, who really did her best to make her comfortable. These children really shared a special bond. Both children were pretty, but in fact physically they didn't have much in common. Other than their slim figure their appearance wouldn't have shown at outsider that they were sisters.

Jack thought about something he could come up with to win the trust of this girl or at least to get her to say something. The silence was even more frightening.

"You must be excited about school," he finally said towards Claire careful not to shock her anymore.

Whatever was wrong with that child?

Instead of an answer all he received was a confused stare from her, her eyes growing wide.

"Alright…ahem…maybe you're not…," Jack stammered totally unsure now of himself.

Maybe he wasn't so good with children at all?

"Claire isn't going to school," Louisa answered instead of her.

Jack looked at her wondering both about the answer and if Claire was even able to talk. She must as Rose had told him that she had heard her speaking.

"Patricia doesn't want her to. She thinks that Claire is still too young and moreover too shy."

Now, that's for sure, but it certainly won't get any better, when she'll stay at home any longer.

Also why was Louisa calling her mother Patricia?

Jack took a quick glance at the clock.

Rose had been gone for an hour already and another half hour that he would've to close the shop.

Then what? He had to wait for Rose here.

Or maybe bring the girls back to Patricia?

"You'll become ill," she said.

"But doesn't she need to go to school?" Jack wondered whispering to Louisa.

"Of course she does and Papa isn't happy about it. There isn't much he can do however. She thinks that a tutor will be just as well," Louisa told him and Jack noticed a little hint of jealously, but not actually towards her sister, whom Louisa seemed to be pitying, but more against her mother. "I wish Patricia would let me stay at home," she joked, but Jack could tell that she wasn't actually happy.

"Where your parent's quarrelling, because of that, before?" Jack asked.

"Probably, but they're always quarrelling. Grandmother says that they simply don't fit together," she added her eyes wandering around the room.

So Patricia was sending one daughter to school and the other not…he would've thought at first that Claire was her favourite child. But in fact would a favourite child sit their silently the whole time?

Suddenly Claire jumped up, noticing something and startling both Louisa and Jack by grabbing a little figure made out of porcellain, showing a laughing duck.

"Do you like that?" Jack carefully came up to her.

Claire nodded.

"It's funny."

Jack sighed wishing that he could give it to her, but it wasn't his.

"But I'm too old for that," she added sadly.

Jack knew better than to say anything.

What would Rose do in that situation?

"You're not supposed to be just touching the things here. They belong to other people," Louisa scolded her.

"Sorry…," she little child mumbled.

"No, it's alright, nothing has happened really," Jack told Claire but still took the figure out of her hands, before it broke down placing it on the desk again.

Another look on the clock told him that it was actually time to close the shop and Rose still wasn't there.

"I guess it would be better for me to bring you home now," he announced.

He was shocked and surprised, when he noted Claire shaking her head.

"You don't want to go home?"

She shook her head.

"Well I…we could…"

He couldn't really take them anymore without telling anyone first. They weren't his children.

"I would like to really, but what would your parents think?"

"Would you like some ice cream?" Louisa asked her sister, who nodded, ignoring Jack.

"Mr. Dawson, we're going to have some ice cream," she announced taking her sister's hand.

Claire was even smiling now obviously eager to eat some ice cream.

"But your parents?"

"Forget about them…I mean don't worry…I'll tell Patricia that it was my idea."

They were out the door, before Jack managed to stop them. He quickly closed the door behind him running after them.

Cal couldn't believe it, when he noted Jack sitting there at a table just a few feet away. He must've started quite openly, because Lavinia turned her head around as well following his gaze.

"Whose children are they?" she asked.

"I've no idea, but they certainly not his."

Cal wondered if they should walk over and say hello. Moreover this was a great opportunity to be testing, if Lavinia's feelings for him were really gone.

"What would you say, if we go over to them?" Cal made it sound as innocent as possible.

"Sure why not?" Lavinia mumbled back.

The girls had meanwhile ordered ice-cream, but Jack actually wasn't in the mood for eating. Something was terribly wrong here. He realized that he should've listened to Ruth from the beginning and never taken up with Patricia Harrison. Now it was too late for that. Moreover her daughter's seemed to be in desperate need for help. He couldn't just leave them alone now, not before he had found out the truth.

"You're nice, Mr. Dawson, just like Rose," Claire told him silently.

At least she had started to open up a little bit.

"Your wife allowed us that we'll call her by her first name," Louisa explained to him. "I hope that is alright."

"Of course it is, if it is alright with Rose, its fine with me too."

Louisa smiled.

She had already noted how special their marriage was, nothing compared to that of her father and Patricia.

Jack was about to ask her about Patricia and why she wasn't calling her mother, when he heard a voice behind him.

"Mr. Dawson, we knew that it was you."

Lavinia?

Jack had thought that he made it clear to her that he didn't want to see her again, not after what happened.

He was shocked, when he saw Cal besides her and even more, when he noted their intertwined hands. He had thought that Cal wanted nothing more to do with her.

"Surprised to see us here together, right?" asked Cal.

Jack only nodded.

He was more than surprised.

"I hope we're not disturbing you, Mr. Dawson," Lavinia said.

Actually you're…

Jack was more interested now in finding out what was wrong with Patricia than having chitchat with Cal and his wife.

"Mind, if we sit down?"

Before Jack managed to say something, they had already taken their seats.

The discussion between him and girls had immediately died down and Claire, who was sitting beside him, was again silently eating her ice-cream.

"They're the children of our…well…Mrs. Harrison," Jack explained to them.

"Certainly," Cal said looking at Claire and then at Jack.

"My husband and I have decided to put everything behind us," Lavinia told him.

Jack forced a smile tending to Claire.

Cal found the whole situation very strange and wanted to get out of here.

"That's great from you to hear," Jack told her seemingly not paying much attention.

"We decided to adopt a child," she added.

"You want some more, ice-cream, honey?" Jack wanted to know from Claire instead of saying anything to Lavinia.

He seemed to have completely overheard her comment.

Cal realized that they should better leave.

Jack wasn't in the mood for talking anyway.

"Ahem, Lavinia, dear…I think Mr. Dawson would like to have some time alone with …with the girls," he said nudging at her arm.

"Oh of course sure," Lavinia said.

In fact she too was happy to get away from them. It was so frightening. They told Jack and the girls, goodbye, they were obviously happy to be alone again.

"Did you see how…I mean did you notice now…?" Cal asked her once they were alone.

"Of course I did. It was quite scary," she answered, glad that they were heading home.

They walked home wondering, if Jack had noted it too, but he was probably too busy.