Once they were back in the city, the group split up. Trixie and Spud set off for their homes, Fu Dog and Lao Shi went back to the shop where they lived, and Jake and Rose went back to the apartment. They collapsed on the couch exhausted. Jake's shoulder was still sore, but other than that, both were fine.
"You really came through for us tonight," Jake said softly.
Rose smiled and curled up against him. He put his arm around her and sighed. He loved when they could just sit together in the quiet like this.
"There's one thing that I just don't understand," Rose said suddenly. "After all this time, you still want me around. Hunts Master would slay you for sure if he knew and then chop my head off as well. Yet you are still sitting here like it's nothing."
She sat up straight and looked him in the eyes.
"Explain that to me," she said.
Jake knew this was the perfect moment to say it. His stomach knotted and his courage began to fail. She looked at him with curious eyes. He seized the moment before his courage was completely gone.
"Rose," he said, gazing into her inquisitive eyes. "What would you say if I told you…I…love you?"
Rose looked at him in astonishment and stood. The look on her face was a mixture of surprise, disbelief and…fear. Her heart wrenched and the air left her lungs.
"What?" she cried breathlessly.
Jake could tell by the strange expression on her face that this wasn't going well. His heart plummeted into his stomach. He stood and held her face in his hands.
"I love you, Rose," he said, with tangible emotion.
Rose pulled his hands away from her face and backed away.
"Don't say that," she whispered.
Jake was confused and concerned. A few minutes ago she couldn't get close enough to him, and now she took two steps back for each step he took forward. Something was wrong with her.
"I can't help it, Rose," he persisted. "I do love you, with all my heart."
Rose clapped her hands over her ears and screamed, "STOP SAYING THAT!"
Jake's heart sank further and it hurt terribly. She backed away even further, shaking her head as she went. Her eyes were squeezed shut and he was sure a tear was running down her cheek. She was hurting bad, but Jake could only feel his own heart's aching. He desperately needed her to return his feelings or else he was sure he'd explode and die. He was certain she loved him too, but his faith in that was fading.
Rose had reached the door now, and her hand was on the knob. Fear gripped Jake as she turned it. She was going to leave him again and God only knows if she'd come back. He wanted to run to her, to take her into his arms and never let go. His heart was screaming for action, but his brain had gone deaf. He stood there and watched her disappear through the door. His knees went weak and he staggered to the door, but he was too late.
He didn't remember going into her room and sitting on her bed, but he was there just the same. He stared at the floor, but didn't see it. His brain didn't register anything except the silence surrounding him. All he could think was 'she's gone'. His whole world revolved around that girl and she'd left him. It was as if someone had taken the sun from the sky and plunged the world into eternal darkness. That's what Jake Long's world was, darkness. He didn't see anything, hear anything or feel anything but empty darkness. The love, the light of his life, had disappeared into the shadow of the night, leaving him feeling more alone that he'd ever felt.
People moved out of the way as a woman clad in black blasted past them. She was running, but she didn't know where she was going. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her lungs were on fire, but she couldn't stop. She had to keep running. The heels of her boots furiously beat the pavement as she went, making her feet ache. She finally stopped to catch her breath and sat down on concrete steps. Once the stitch in her chest faded and her breathing returned to normal, she looked to see where she was. She was on the steps of Millard Fillmore Junior High.
She stood and stared at the huge brick structure. It was ironic that she should end up here. She'd run away from Jake, only to end up at the place where memories of him were the strongest. Without thinking, she found a way up to the rooftop and perched herself upon it. She sat with her knees pulled up to her chest resting her chin on her knees.
She'd felt safe from her uncle here. In this building she could pretend to be normal and have a somewhat normal life. It was Jake who showed her how to be normal. He tried to give her a normal life, and was always there for her when she needed him. It was easy to see why she'd developed a crush on him. She was devastated when she found he was the American Dragon. She couldn't be with the one person who'd genuinely liked her for the person she was and it was all because of her uncle. She remembered the disgust and anger she felt towards her uncle. He was the reason she couldn't be happy.
Rose wanted so badly to be able to return Jake's love, but the question was not ability. It was more her own restraint. She did love him and it hurt her not to tell him. She'd seen the pain and fear in his eyes when she chose the door over him. He ought to be used to her running out on him by now. Why he even bothered to wait for her was a mystery as well. He'd be much better off with someone more dependable. Rose acknowledged the thought, but she hadn't a clue what do to about it.
It wasn't Jake's fault that she was so unstable. He just wanted to love and protect her. She knew that he'd fight her uncle to the death to protect her. The death, she was certain, would be Jake's. At all costs, she would protect him from her uncle. Hunts Man was out to get Rose and he wouldn't stop until he did. Woe would befall the poor soul that got in his way.
"I should've never come here, " she muttered bitterly.
Tears brimmed her eyes and clouded her vision. She looked out over the horizon and saw the sun was already coming up. She couldn't bear the thought of going back to Jake. Not after what she'd done. No wonder Trixie hated her so badly. She knew what Rose was eventually going to do and she wanted to protect Jake from that hurt. Why did things have to be this way? Was Rose destined to hurt everyone she loved?
Trixie and Spud stopped by the apartment to check on Jake. He wasn't answering his phone and that just wasn't like him. They found him in Rose's room, staring brokenly at the floor. He told them the whole thing and they listened. Trixie clenched her fists when he concluded with Rose running out on him.
"I knew that girl was trouble!" she snarled. "Jakey, we're going to get Rose out of your mind and out of your life once and for all."
She stood and pulled Jake to his feet.
"I've got this girl you need to meet," she said. "Take a shower and get dressed, Jake."
Jake looked like he was going to protest, but Trixie wouldn't have it.
"That's not a request," she said authoritatively. "Now get moving!"
Against his will, he did what Trixie said and was dragged downtown to a café, growling for release the entire way. Trixie peeked through the window and grinned.
"Jake, take a look at the chick in blue sitting by herself," she said.
They had to make him, but he did look. She was pretty, he had to admit, but she was no Rose. He could tell she must've dressed up for this. The feminine baby blue skirt she wore didn't look like something you'd wear just any old day. Her high-heeled shoes shimmered and her hair looked like she'd spent an hour on it. Jake felt obligated to at least go in and talk to her. She'd spent time getting ready to meet him, so the least he could do was show up.
"What's her name?" Jake asked.
"Shauna Reese," Trixie answered.
Jake heaved a sigh and pushed open the door to the café. He made his way over to Shauna and introduced himself. Trixie and Spud looked on approvingly. An idea occurred to Spud and he turned to Trixie.
"Do you think we're doing the right thing?" he asked uncertainly.
"Rose left him," Trixie reminded Spud. "Twice! I'm not going to stand by and watch some girl break my bud's heart. He needs to move on with his life and forget her. The only way to do that is to replace her. Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll stay gone this time."
They observed a little while longer, and when Trixie was sure things were going smoothly, she pulled Spud away and they left Jake to his own devices. What no one knew was that Rose was hidden in the foliage of a tree just outside the café window. She'd heard everything and now watched as Jake and Shauna began to hit it off. Her heart sank.
Shauna and Jake emerged from the café, laughing about something. They went off down the street, walking together and talking. Rose watched them until they rounded a corner and disappeared. She sat in the tree, too stunned to speak. Jake had moved right on with his life as if last night was last year. How could he tell her he loved her, and then get himself a new lady friend the next day to roam with?
Rose jumped down to the ground, surprising a few people, and went to the one place she knew Jake wouldn't be…his apartment. He'd be too busy gallivanting around New York with his new girlfriend. Boy was she ever wrong! She opened the front door and found Jake and Shauna lounging on the couch and laughing. It was an awkward moment. Jake and Shauna looked at Rose in surprise. Maybe it was the fact she was still in her black fighting suit. Rose looked at the two and bit her lip. Tears brimmed her eyes and she hurried to her room, trying not to let them see her cry. She locked her bedroom door and threw herself facedown on her bed.
"I think I should go," Shauna said quietly.
Jake stood and walked her to the door. They said their goodbyes and Jake locked the front door. He didn't want any visitors for a while. He sighed and went to Rose's door, unsurprised by finding it locked.
"Rose, open the door," he said softly.
"Go away!" Rose yelled, her voice cracking.
Jake sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He knew what went through her mind when she saw Shauna. He saw her eyes fill with hurt and tears. He and Trixie were going to have a long talk about interfering with his love life.
"Babe, please open the door," he said pleadingly.
Rose said nothing. Jake began to get impatient.
"A locked door is not going to keep me out," Jake reminded her. "You and I both know that if I could come through this thing if I want to."
"Seems to me that you would have done it by now," Rose retorted. "Apparently this locked door is keeping you out."
Jake knotted his fists and growled softly. Rose was right, but not for long. Through the closed door Rose heard Jake's muffled battle cry, and seconds later the door burst open. In strode a large red dragon, and he looked at Rose without the harshness she expected. Instead he looked somewhat sad. They stared at each other for a moment and then Jake slowly approached her.
"I think you and I need to talk, "he said.
He sat on the bed beside her and pulled her into his lap. She struggled, trying to get away, but with no avail. Jake just held her tighter until she realized her struggling was pointless. She snorted and turned her face away from him, determined.
"I know that thing with Shauna looked pretty incriminating, but I swear nothing happened," Jake began.
"Oh don't even bother," Rose snapped. "I saw you two in the café. So tell me Jake, how long will this one last? You're interest in me subsided pretty quick."
"Rose," Jake said, turning her head so she had to look at him, "she and I are just friends. I told her five minutes into the conversation at the café that I already had myself a girl. She understood and all we talked about was you."
Rose looked into his eyes, and saw it was the same look he'd had last night. That completely, helplessly in love look told her all she needed to know. Jake wasn't lying. His grip on her loosened and she took this moment to jerk free. She leapt for her Hunts staff and aimed it at Jake. Before he even knew what was happening, he was trapped in a sphinx hair net.
"Wha…? Rose what are you doing?" he stammered.
"It's been fun, while it lasted," she said in her Hunts Girl voice. "Good bye, Dragon."
She put on her mask and strode out of the room leaving Jake helpless and stunned. Rose disappeared through the front door and this time, she had no intentions of coming back.