Much to Rose's dismay, the following morning, she wakes up to find that she isn't feeling any better. On the contrary, she feels worse, with her head pounding and her stomach aching. Of course, not wanting to worry Jack, when he asks how she is feeling, she simply tells him that she isn't better, but fails to mention that she's feeling worse.

Still, Jack suggests that she take the day to rest, as she had the day prior. Much to his concern, Rose doesn't put up one objection, quite unlike his fiery wife. Actually, Rose readily agrees to the suggestion and picks up her book to head out to the sofa in the family room. Jack stops her before she can exit the room, "Hey, are you sure you're alright? It's...rather unlike you to agree so readily to such a proposal."

Rose smiles, "Of course I'm alright. With such a good book I wouldn't want to turn down a chance to sit all day and enjoy it."

As Jack watches Rose disappear through the door, he can't help but believe that there's more to her reasoning than a good book.

Before Rose exits the hallway leading to the conjunction of the living room, kitchen, and dining room, she hears Amanda and Alex chatting in the kitchen. As she's about to step out of the hall and make her presence known, she hears a name passing through the conversation that makes her freeze: Jack.

On hearing her lover's name, Rose can't help but want to know what's being said so she stops to listen. It's Amanda whom she hears first, "I know you're mad at him and all that he did, but you know you still love him, I know you still love him-"

"Of course I still love him...it's just...how can I trust him? How can I forgive him?"

"You let him earn your trust back, but you must give him a chance. To forgive him? That's not something I can tell you how to do...that's something you must learn to do yourself."

Alex sighs, "I just don't know. He's still got a helluva long way to go to earn my forgiveness, let alone my trust. Not to mention, now there's Rose. I can't help but be worried for her."

Rose takes a step forward, both curious and afraid of what Alex might say next. Already, her mind prepares to defend Jack. Amanda furrows her eyebrows in confusion, "Why's that?"

"How do we know Jack will stay with her? He left all of us and cut contact. He left his friends in Santa Monica for a while, " Rose stands still for a moment, shocked that Alex would say such a thing and afraid of what he might say next, "I mean, honestly, he even told us how he left his Italian friend in New York. Who hasn't he left? Everything points to him leaving Rose at some point, the poor girl. I mean, just look at his commitment issues, who has he stayed with?"

Amanda stares at Alex, a bit at a loss for words, shocked that he'd say such a thing, but knowing that he is overwhelmed with emotion and must not be thinking straight. For Rose, however, it is the last straw and she can't bear to keep silent any longer. Stepping out from the hallway, she gives a small cough, making both Alex and Amanda turn in her direction, "What was that I heard about Jack?"

Alex looks at Amanda, who gives him a look which makes it clear that this is his mistake and his to fix. When no one responds Rose sighs, "Why do I bother to ask? I heard it all. How could you say such a thing about Jack?"

Alex hesitates, as though deciding how to approach this, before taking a defensive tone with his next words, "I didn't say anything that wasn't true."

Rose scoffs, "You said Jack would leave me! You said he has commitment issues! That's not true, and you know it."

"You've heard his past story, he left us, he left his friends in Santa Monica, he left his Italian friend, it all points to him leaving you."

Rose takes a deep breath, "First off, I'll have you know he didn't leave Fabrizio, not like you think. That wasn't his fault. You know he had no choice but to leave you all, and he's doing what he can to make up for how he cut things off. His friends in Santa Monica knew he was leaving to travel the world. They didn't blame him, how can you?"

"How can I? How am I just supposed to forgive him and act as though nothing ever happened?"

"You don't have to act like nothing ever happened, but you do have to give him a chance. You're acting as though he hasn't changed. It's been five years! A lot can happen in five years, and you're not even giving him a chance!"

"He told us what happened; is meeting you really enough to change him that much?"

Rose sighs in exasperation, "There's been more than meeting me! There's still a lot you don't know."

"Yeah? So he's keeping secrets from us, great! What a great way for him to start winning us back over!"

Rose shakes her head, squeezing her eyes shut. "You have no idea what you're talking about." Her voice is quieter now as she begins to wrestle with the painful memories brought up by his words. Holding Jack's hand and praying that he wouldn't freeze to death, "Please, just leave this alone!"

"What you mean 'leave this alone!' I'm right, you know I am. He's got a secret that he won't share with the rest of us! How can he be devoted to you, or anyone, if he keeps these big secrets?! How can you not see this?!"

It's at that moment that Rose loses all control, "You can't possibly understand what he's going through! He almost died for me! Have you any clue what he's done for me? The devotion and commitment he's shown me? You're here claiming he has 'commitment issues', well, You weren't the one watching him freeze to near death to save you, knowing it would be your fault if he died! You weren't the one sitting by his bedside for three days, praying he'd wake up, but knowing he might never. Knowing you might never see those beautiful, bright blue eyes again because he was devoted enough to die for you!" For just a moment, Rose chokes on her words and her voice breaks as she continues, "You weren't there, you don't know what it was like! You can't say that someone who is devoted enough to die for me has commitment issues! What the hell is wrong with you?! Just leave us alone, worry about you and Amanda! Jack and I are just fine!"

Alex stares at Rose, unsure of what to make out of all that Rose just said. It's at this moment that Jack walks out, "Hey! What's going on out here? I could hear you screaming on the other side of the house, Rose."

Both Alex and Rose look at Jack, unsure of how to explain themselves. They couldn't possibly tell Jack what had gone on between them, what had been said about him.

Jack looks between them, "So?"

Amanda gives a little cough, "Alex, I think we'd better go. Rose would do better explaining this to Jack. Besides...it's coming on again."

Amanda touches her head and closes her eyes. Jack looks at Alex, confused, "Where are you both going? What's 'coming on?'"

"She's been feeling awful the past few days. Headaches, stomach aches, and such. We're going to get it looked at."

Jack nods, "Alright, fine."

They both walk to the door, but Alex hesitates next to Rose just long enough to whisper, "I..I'm sorry. I didn't know."

As soon as Alex and Amanda are gone, Rose and Jack look at each other, both unsure where to start. It's Jack who speaks first, "Wanna go to our room so if Julie, Danny, or Ma comes out…"

Rose nods, "A-Alright."

Back in their room, Jack is the first to approach the subject, "So, what was that between you and Alex?"

Rose looks away, "I-It was nothing."

Jack sighs, "Don't pull this with me…"

Rose meets his eye contact for just a moment. How could she possibly tell him all that Alex had said? How she had just blown their secret and now they'd have to tell about that godawful night….the simple answer is that she can't. She'd have to get Jack to just forget it, "I promise you, it's nothing you need to know. It's...Things will be fine between Alex and I."

Jack raises his eyebrows, "Really? It sure didn't seem like that."

"There...there was just a misunderstanding. That's all."

"So you were screaming over a misunderstanding?"

Rose hesitates...this makes her look awful, but she doesn't have a choice. She'd take the blame if it meant sparing Jack from the pain of hearing what his little brother said about him. She looks down, "I...I guess."

Jack sighs, "Really? Why don't I believe that?"

Rose opens her mouth, "I..I'm sorry. It really was a misunderstanding...I just got carried away."

"Look, Rose, either you're lying to me, or we've gotta work something out."

Rose narrows her eyes in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Think of it this way, say Alex was our child and-"

Rose puts her head in her hand, trying to deal with arguing with Jack while ignoring the increasing pain in her stomach and the throbbing in her head, "He's not! He's a grown man and can take care of himself, it's not like I lost control with our child!"

Jack steps forward so they're less than an arm's length apart,"But you could! Imagine if that was our child and then you won't tell me what it was about! We can't live like that!"

Rose's head jerks up and she stares at him, "What are you suggesting? Are you suggesting that I wouldn't make a good mother?!"

Jack's mouth moves before his mind as he says one line he'll regret for the rest of his life: "If you keep this up, then yes!"

Rose gasps, shocked and hurt beyond her own comprehension. It only takes a moment for Jack's eyes to widen as he realizes what he has just said, "N-No...I-I didn't mean it. I swear, Rose. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. That's not true, it isn't…"

Jack continues his attempt to apologize, but Rose doesn't hear anymore. Not only has Jack hurt her more than she's ever been hurt, but a new pain begins to take over her. A physical pain, worse than anything she's ever felt, which nearly knocks her off her feet. A sudden cramping pain in her stomach makes her feel as though she's been stabbed with a knife.

She gasps in pain as she reaches out for Jack's arm, "Jack!"

Jack doesn't catch what's going on as he responds, "I know, I know. I'm sorry, I don't know wha-" Jack cuts off as he catches sight of her face. Her eyes aren't focused on him, but are distant and he knows right away that something's not right, "Rose? Rose, what's wrong?"

Rose looks up at him and opens her mouth to respond, but quickly covers it as nausea takes over and she feels as though she'll vomit. Without another word, she stumbles towards the door and uses the door frame for support as she stumbles out of the room. Jack looks after her and calls out as he quickly goes to the door, "Rose!"

Jack steps out of the room and sees Rose making her way to the bathroom at the end of the hall. Without a moment's hesitation, he follows her. Rose had gottes there just a moment before him and Jack finds her, having vomited, sitting on the ground looking up at him, pale as a ghost.

Jack is by her side in a moment, "What's going on? What is it?"

Rose looks at him, her eyes wide with fear and pain, "I-I don't know. It hurts! Everything hurts! My stomach, my head…" tears come to her eyes as she continues, "What's happening to me?!"

Jack pulls her into his arms, wanting more than anything to take away her pain, "I...I don't know. Is there anything I can do."

Rose whispers through her tears, "Just make it stop."

Jack closes his eyes and pulls her close, wanting more than anything to do what she asks. Instead, it comes to Jack's mind that the best thing he can do is call for help. The only person in the house who he can think of to help Rose, his mother, "Ma! Please, Ma!" He looks over his shoulder down the hall, "Please! Come quickly!"

All of a sudden, Rose's tears stop and Jack looks down as he hears her whisper, "What the hell?"

He looks down at her as her hand moves to the hem of her dress. She carefully pulls it up to reveal her stockings stained deep red with blood. Jack stares in shock and Ma appears in the doorway just in time for a small scream escapes Rose's lips before her world goes black from the pain and shock.