Her Fate

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone from ADJL; I only own those who I make up.

Rating: PG-13

A Betrayal Known

Jake needed to hear no more before he ran out the, still open, door. He didn't understand why he even bothered listening to the explanation when what he should have done was go straight to Rose as soon as he found out she was hurt.

Hurt badly enough to need hospital attention!

He didn't bother getting in his car; he just took off into the sky. While probably not the best idea in the world, Jake just didn't care. He wanted to be with Rose now and flying was the fastest way around.

No one saw him, he was hidden in the dark night sky above the trees despite the many people looking up to see the "giant, gold bird" he assumed was Gracie.

He changed back into his human form behind the closest hospital he found. How he hoped this was the one that contained his Rose.

He walked into the hospital and was surprised to see none other than Brad in the waiting room.

What surprised him more than the fact that he was here was the fact that he looked so… distraught.

Brad saw him and Jake walked towards him. "I guess you heard then." Brad assumed solemnly.

Never in his life had Jake seen Brad so… human. His brown eyes were filled with worry, his mouth turned into a frown. This only told Jake one thing… Rose was in bad shape.

"Yeah…" he replied in a voice that he barely recognized as his own; so hoarse and shaky.

Brad nodded and sat back down on the chair. Jake took the seat next to him. Like his own, he saw Brad's hands shaking.

"How is she?" Jake asked once he found his voice.

Brad shook his head. "It… it was like a dream. The-that bird, it was like it wanted me to take her. It gave her to me… and Rose… Rose…" he trailed off, lowering his head into his hands.

"What? What about Rose!" Jake asked frantically.

"There… there was just so much…"

It was then Jake noticed the red stain all over Brad's white shirt. Blood… Rose's blood… the thought made Jake sick to his stomach.

He couldn't take it any more; he stood abruptly and marched towards the nurse behind the desk. "Rose Connor, where is she?"

The nurse looked tired and less than pleased to see him. A frown firmly planted on her lips below the rather faint black of a mustache, she asked, "Relation?"

Knowing that there was no way that this rather ornery looking nurse would let him see Rose without an immediate relation to her, he thought quickly. "She's my fiancée, please, I need to see her."

The nurse eyed him suspiciously for a moment; as if waiting for him to crack but Jake did not give any indication he was lying just to see a friend. He had to see Rose. Not that it bothered him any claiming to be the fiancée to the young woman he adored so.

As a moment passed, the burly old nurse relented and told him where he could find Rose.

He entered the room in a nervous haste. He felt the bile rise in his throat as he saw her lying there on the hospital bed, her skin slightly paler than normal and an IV hooked into her left arm.

He sent a silent thank you to whoever donated the blood that saved her. He sighed as he sat next to her bed.

"Rose?"

Eyes that rivaled the very ocean itself fluttered open and rested on Jake. "Jake?" She smiled a small smile at him, "How'd you get in here?"

"Let's just say that as far as anyone knows here, you're the future Mrs. Long." He answered with a tiny smirk.

Rose laughed slightly at that, "Funny, we're already engaged and we've never even kissed."

"Hey, it's not like it's for lack of trying." He defended, smiling. He looked at her, hooked to the IV and the machine that monitors her heart, he never learned the name of it, and his smile almost instantaneously melted off. "What happened to you, Rose?"

Her smile dropped as well as she closed her eyes and grimaced. "Some dragons were less than thrilled that I was taking up my ancestors' hobby."

"Dragons did this to you? How many were there?" he asked in an almost disbelieving tone.

"Three."

Jake shut his eyes. He could barely believe it. Who could've done something like this? Who would've done this?

Questions raced through Jake's mind and all came out in one result. Jake knew, behind this had to be the only dragon vile enough to pull something like this… the Dragon Councilor Chang.

FLASH

The doctor wanted to keep Rose over night for more observation before they deemed her well enough to go home.

The Scottish doctor had insisted that Jake go home, rest, and not to worry about his "little bride".

He entered his apartment surprised to not only see all those who he left there, but his little sister was there too, and everyone was arguing.

"What's going on here!" Jake asked, loudly enough to shut everyone up.

Trixie was the first to speak up, though she didn't answer his question. "Did you get to see Rose?"

"Yeah, she's ok. Pretty banged up but she'll be able to go home tomorrow."

A look of relief passed over Trixie's face, Jake wasn't the only one who noticed it.

Gracie looked completely furious, "Why so relieved? You tried to kill her!"

Trixie narrowed her eyes, "I did not and you need to stop sayin' that!"

Jake shouted again, "What the hell are you talking about!"

Haley spoke up; in a timid manner that Jake had never seen her use, at least not to him. "I swear, Jake, I only wanted them to capture her. I never intended for them to try to kill her."

"What did you do?" Jake asked slowly, doing his best not to let his anger get the best of him.

"I contacted Councilor Chang."

"Now, listen, Jakey, home girl attacked Haley! She's bad news like I told you. We didn't wanna hurt her, we just wanted her gone!" Trixie defended.

Jake's eyes flashed in anger, "What do you mean she attacked you!"

"It's true; she attacked me and then Trixie when she tried to intervene."

"Rose would never attack you. Not now, not after she's done so much to leave the Huntsclan!"

"Yo, man, we know how you feel, but she tricked you… again!" Trixie yelled.

Jake shook his head furiously, "I don't believe you! When was this supposed to happen!"

"Last Saturday night." Haley answered.

Jake laughed, not a nice laugh, a bitter laugh that would send a frighteningjolt through anyone's spine who heard it. "Rose was with me almost all night last Saturday."

"And when he brought her home she was with me." Gracie added.

"Like we can trust you!" Trixie shouted at her.

Jake shook his head slowly as he spoke with an icy glare in a low and eerily steady voice, "No. Gracie, I can trust… you… it's you and Haley I can't."

Rose is ok! I wanted to show that Brad did indeed have a humanish side to him. Trixie and Haley are in a bit of trouble. Want to see what happens next? Stay tuned! Please review.