Jack stared through the cloudy bottom of his glass, trying to block out his surroundings. The furnishings of the bar he sat in where scratched and worn, and the room was so gloomy that he felt as though damp was rising from every corner. Absentmindedly, he picked his glass up and swirled its contents around, trying to decide what he could do to fill the rest of the day. A quick glance at the clock on the wall confirmed his worst fears. It was only 11.30 am. Dropping his head as a wave of despair flooded him, Jack sighed deeply. Eleven thirty and already he'd sought refuge in a couple of drinks. Worse still, the day stretched ahead of him, and there were still at least ten hours before he could find refuge in sleep. Lifting his head again, Jack caught a glimpse of his reflection in the windows above the bar. His tired eyes stared back at him, and with a sudden jolt, Jack realised that he looked pathetic.

This thought was enough to waken him from his misery, and he stepped outside into the sunlight, which was glaring in comparison to the murky gloom of the bar. Seeing the sunlight and the crowds scurrying around, enjoying themselves, drinking up the sunshine, the happy atmosphere and enjoying just being there, Jack cheered up slightly. Who would have thought it would have come to this-back at the Santa Monica pier with a sketch book sticking out of his well worn rucksack. Still, there were worse places he could be, Jack knew, and a rare smile briefly flitted across his face as he made his way towards his usual spot on the pier.


Rose and Caroline wandered aimlessly along the beachfront. Despite the warm sun, the wind was strong and cold, blowing Rose's long hair into her eyes. She pushed it back irritably, unable to get into the spirit of the day. Everything around her seemed to suggest that this was a place where people were meant to be happy- the mood was festive, with pony rides on the beach and children squealing with excitement. But, no matter how hard she tried, Rose couldn't share in their carefree happiness. Everything was irritating her, and the empty feeling at the pit of her stomach just wouldn't go away.

Rounding a bend in the path, Rose and Caroline found themselves in the middle of a small market. People milled around everywhere, buying the oddest collection of goods- jewellery, clothing, even furniture. A harried looking man dashed past with a broken stool tucked under his arm. Looking browsing through the market stalls set up along the beachfront. Giggling, Caroline picked up a silly hat from a table strewn with moth-eaten clothes. Pulling the ridiculous hat down over one eye, she flung her head back, striking a dramatic pose. A portly woman, presiding over the sad little collection, frowned with great disapproval, but Caroline was totally oblivious to the stares, and unable to hide her joy. "Isn't this great!" she squealed. "I mean, look at us.. here we are, by the beach... no worries, no responsibilities... nothing to do but enjoy ourselves!" Caroline grinned mischievously at the stall holder. "I think I'll take this," she said, as the woman frowned back. Turning to Rose, she dissolved into giggles. "I think it suits me, don't you!" Rose returned her grin weakly as the swirling wind grabbed Caroline's newly purchased hat and spun it through the air wildly. Helpless with laughter, Caroline chased after it, grabbing it triumphantly from the air and placing it firmly on her head. Without pausing to take a breath, she was already moving on, singing the praises of Santa Monica once more. "Look! There's even an amusement park!" Catherine gestured excitedly towards a gigantic wooden roller-coaster. "We have to go there some day!" she cried girlishly. Suddenly, she noticed that her friend didn't share her enthusiasm.

"What's wrong, Rose?" she asked, just a little too brusquely. "You've been depressed since the moment we arrived." Caroline's tone was kind on the surface, but Rose could see the impatience in her eyes, and understood it. If only she could share in Caroline's carefree attitude, just join in and have fun like the rest of the group were doing. But Rose knew that until she found Jack, the worry would always be there. Rose shrugged her shoulders listlessly. "It's nothing, I guess. It's just that.. well.. " Rose's voice trailed of, and her eyes subconsciously scanned the horizon, looking for a familiar face amongst the throngs of people.

The impatient expression flitted across Caroline's face again, briefly. But the pain in Rose's eyes was too real for her to ignore for long, and she hugged her friend warmly, trying to cheer her up. "Come on, Rose," she implored. "It's not that bad. We've come this far- we'll find him. "

Rose's eyes filled with tears. "Caroline, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but he could be anywhere. There's no guarantee that I'll find him at all. He could be anywhere in the country.. or he could have decided to go back to Europe.." the panic started to rise in Rose's voice. "Or what if he's been right here all this time and I never realise it, and end up leaving without ever finding him.. " her voice was growing high pitched and her cheeks flushed with anxiety.

Suddenly, the world seemed very large to Caroline. Rose was right- he really could be anywhere, and there was every chance she would never find him. A cold emptiness gripped her as suddenly Rose's helplessness became clear to her. There was nothing she could do except hope- and yet the regret would be with her forever if she learned too late that he had been here all along. Regret was a feeling that Caroline understood only too well and tears came to Caroline's eyes- she knew what it was to wish too late that you had acted differently when you had the chance. She couldn't allow the same thing to happen to her new friend.

"Listen, Rose," Caroline began slowly, "A long time ago, I turned my back on someone that I cared for, and lost them forever. I know what it's like to regret the opportunities you've missed, and I don't want you to experience that too. We'll find him. I'll do everything I can to help you, I promise. We'll start tomorrow, okay? We'll look through the records of every hotel and boarding house in the country to find out where he has gone if we have to."

A small glimmer of hope flitted through Rose's eyes. "Do you really think that will work?" she asked quietly, sounding calmer than she had moments before.

Feigning a greater sense of hope than she felt, Caroline tried to inject a little optimism into her voice. "Of course it will!" she cried. "He can't hide from me for long!" She forced a smile to her face, knowing that the reality could be very different. "Now come on, let's get going. We need to rehearse for tonight, you know- and I have a surprise for you that might cheer you up!"


The sun seemed bright to Jack this morning and he squinted as he tried to concentrate on his drawing. The little girl squirmed and wriggled, and finally burst into tears as she longingly watched her brothers splash in the water.

Standing up and stretching, Jack admired his work. Whatever else happened, he still felt at peace with a pencil and a sheet of paper in his hands. "All done!" he stated gruffly, smiling with a warmth he didn't feel at the little girl's father.

Eagerly, he snatched the paper from Jack's hands. "This is.. wonderful," he said slowly. "Really, I mean it. It's perfect. Thank you." Jack's smile softened. "No problem," he replied, packing up his equipment. "Any time."

Moving slowly, Jack sat down by the edge of the pier, his legs dangling over the side. In any other circumstances, this would have been pleasant- the sun was shining and he was in one of his favourite places in the world. But now all it seemed to do was remind him of Rose- how he would have loved to have shown this to her, shared it with her. He could imagine how she would have loved it, how she would have revelled in the freedom she could have experienced for the first time in her life.

Squinting his eyes a little more, something caught his eye down by the waterfront. A girl with flowing blonde hair, chasing something or other as it flapped in the wind. What was it- a hat? It was the movement that had caught his eye, but something else held his attention- the tall red-headed girl standing next to her. Even from a distance, she seemed haunted by an air of overwhelming sadness. An image of Rose the very first time he had seen her flashed before his eyes and, without even realising that he was doing it, Jack leaned forward to see a little better. Suddenly, he was transfixed. The closer he looked, the more the woman reminded him of Rose. He wasn't close enough to see her face, but everything else- the way she proud and slightly aloof way she stood in the crowd, the red hair dancing in the wind.. everything.

Not quite knowing what he was doing, Jack stood up slowly and, trance like, walked in their direction. Suddenly, he became aware of a voice cutting through his private fog. "Jack! Hey, Jack!"

Whirling around impatiently, it took Jack a moment to recognise the face in front of him- Christopher, a friend from his past in Santa Monica who had taken it upon himself to look after Jack upon his return. He had been a good friend, but right now Jack felt a sense of urgency he couldn't explain. He wanted to see the red-headed woman up close- if only to reassure himself that the thought that had crossed his mind earlier was absurd.

"How are you doin', Jack" Chris asked laconically, a warm smile on his face. Jack sometimes felt that Christopher was concerned about him, and usually he appreciated it, but right now he had little time for Chris' attempts to look after him. "Oh, you know, Chris. I'm surviving," Jack replied impatiently, glancing hurriedly over his shoulder. The girl and her friend were still there.

Chris' smile grew broader. "Great! Well, I wanted to ask you if you wanted to join a few of us for dinner tonight. There's that new play at the Playhouse tonight- nothing fancy, just some amateurs' group from Wisconsin." Chris chuckled with amusement.

"Uh.. sure," Jack replied vaguely, not really taking in what Chris had said but anxious to get away nonetheless. Chris looked bemused. "You Okay, Jack? You seem a little distracted."

"What? Yes, of course, I'm fine. Look, Chris, I gotta run." With that, Jack turned and sprinted down the pier as Chris yelled "I'll see you around seven!"


Now that he was amongst the crowds, Jack couldn't remember exactly where he'd seen her. The throngs of people closed in around him, disorientating him and making him doubt himself. He spun around, frantically searching for anyone that bore a slight resemblance. Even though he knew he was probably crazy, he knew that he had to set his mind at ease. If he didn't, he might always be haunted by what he thought he had seen. It was hopeless though. No matter where he turned, he saw nobody who resembled the woman he'd seen from the pier.


By six that evening, backstage was a mass of nervous activity. The air was punctuated by snatches of song and dialogue, as people rushed frantically to gather their costumes together and put on makeup. In spite of herself, Rose grinned. This was what she had always longed for- to be a part of something like this, to live life as an adventure, doing something that she loved. Caroline's announcement had taken her by surprise at first- one of the girls playing one of the smaller roles had left unexpectedly, and she was to take her place. Rose hugged her arms to her with excitement- after three weeks longing to join the others on stage, she was to finally get her chance. The role was small- three lines in the opening scene, but to Rose the chance to see the audience's eyes upon her was priceless.


Chris, Jack and the rest of their group settled down in their seats just moments before the curtain was to go up. The others chatted happily, the easy talk of friends enjoying a night out, but Jack couldn't join them. The incident on the pier ran through his mind over and over, until he began to wonder if he'd even seen it at all. All he'd wanted was a chance to make sure, a chance to avoid spending the rest of his life wondering if it could have been her. Sighing, he gazed down at the program in his hands, wondering what on earth this play was about.

The audience murmured in anticipation as the heavy velvet curtain rustled and opened to reveal a stage lit with a spotlight. Caroline stepped confidently into view.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!" she cried theatrically. "It is my pleasure to welcome you all here tonight. Before we begin, I would like to introduce you all to the newest member of our little group, and a fine actress in the making;" Caroline paused for a second, turning towards Rose as she nervously stepped onto the stage.

Still studying the program in the dim light, Jack glanced up absentmindedly. Suddenly, he froze. It couldn't be. It wasn't possible. Without realising what he was doing, Jack was out of his chair, staring into Rose's eyes as she stood nervously smiling up on stage. "R- Rose.." he whispered. "Rose, is that really you?"

Caroline's voice was strong and echoed around the hall as she spoke into the microphone. "Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce- Rose Dawson!"

Tears filled Jack's eyes, spilling over and running down his cheeks. For the first time in months, they were tears of joy, mixed with disbelief. Wiping them away with a shaking hand, he didn't notice Chris' anxious voice calling his name, or the vocal annoyance of the couple behind him. Without caring what those around him thought, or even fully realising what he was doing, he turned and ran towards the stage.