You think I don't know

After Alec and John had gone back home, all they had to look forward to was the week's holiday at the beginning of summer. Alec had turned down John's offer to go back for the next holiday, which pained both him and Rose but they needed all the money they could get for the long six week holiday. John was going with them but was going to drop them back in London, stay overnight then do the same when collecting Alec.

Alec had said it would be better than him asking for another Saturday off his part-time job, which he was going to leave for the summer then try and get another one afterwards. He'd said it was easier for Rose, since she worked for her mother, to which she had given him nudge before he'd left. On her birthday, they both rushed home from school so Alec could call her, having posted a card and present for her.

"Well open your present then," Alec insisted as he'd said 'Happy Birthday' to her as soon as she'd answered the phone on the first ring.

"It's lovely," Rose smiled as she opened the package then the birthday wrapping paper and found a delicate silky scarf.

"I know it's not much," he apologised.

"Alec, I love it, it's from you," Rose replied, holding back a tear because he wasn't with her this year. Neither of them wanted to be reminded of what had happened the year before. They were hoping for some good news from Alec's uncle but it hadn't come so his uncle was going to try a different approach, if Jackie agreed.

"Rose, so are you going to talk to your mum, about what my dad and my uncle want to try?" he continued.

"I don't know Alec, she seems to want to just forget the whole sorry thing," Rose replied. "Maybe if we waited and John tried to explain it to her?"

"Rose, it's weeks before we'll be coming down, unless you want to break the rule we made, about coming down before?" he asked, hoping she would give in because he so wanted to.

John had tried several times to tempt him but failed. Every night on the way back from school, he'd tried to bring up the subject.

"You know you want to!" John had kept telling him.

"If I give in, we won't have as much money to spend later," he'd objected. "I'll also have to take more time off my job, the manager already got annoyed last time and I can't get another one, not when I want six weeks or so off."

"I know that Alec, sorry. I know how much you want to see each other. You'll have to work on getting her mother to agree to what my dad wants to try."

"Rose has tried," Alec had told him. "I suppose it's a lot to ask? he wondered.

"Well, I'll just have to work on her myself," John laughed.

"I can't wait to see that," Alec had laughed back.

Rose was marking the days off her calendar to when it was time they would be going on holiday, making her mother wish she could do something about it. She couldn't bring herself to admit to getting Rose into whatever Bob and his friends were planning to drag Rose into, she had got her daughter away but at a price Rose having to leave Alec.

Could she go along with going to court and admitting in front of a judge so that John's adopted dad could argue that she had unwittingly signed an agreement that Bob had the right to claim Rose had run away if she stepped foot in Scotland and that he should take custody of her. Then he would ask the judge to rule the agreement was void and that Rose would be free to return without any action being taken.

They had learned that if Rose was to return, she would be held by the police until Bob collected her and not be allowed to return home, being classed as a runaway and herself being declared she couldn't keep her daughter under control.

It was a lot to admit to and it had been discussed constantly as a way for Rose to go back. The other problem was, she didn't want Rose to leave. Rose had finally got it out of her but had promised not to tell Alec but a few days before Rose was going on holiday then Alec was staying for the rest of the holidays, Rose finally wanted to know why her mother couldn't let her go.

"You promised not to tell Alec," her mother reminded her, just before school broke up.

"He'll want to know Mum. It could mean I can go back with him," Rose replied sadly.

"I know Rose but how can I ever admit what I almost did? I was stupid and gullible, I know that now and I'm sorry you almost got caught up in it. Thank the lord I got you out and I saw what he was doing. I know ya tried to tell me."

"Alec did as well Mum. It's not just me who's involved."

"Ya think I don't know that?" her mother asked her. "Bob may have given up by now ya know? He could have found someone else with a teenage daughter?"

Rose stared at her.

"Sorry," Jackie told her. "I know what ya thinking Rose. No-one else would fall for it that easily, would they?"

"Mum, it wasn't all your fault, ya got taken in by him, because ya wanted to settle down with someone," Rose told her. "The hardest thing I've ever had to do was tell Alec to not give everything up to be here with me. I know there are colleges here but I can't let him leave his family for me."

"Rose, I know Alec loves you and he'd do anything for ya. You're doing the right thing though but once he's through college, he might decide to try and get in the police down here."

"He's already applied up there Mum. He's just got to pass all his exams, he's got a really good chance of getting in. If I let him come down here to college, it may spoil his chances."

"You're both willing to make the sacrifices and I can't tell ya which one of you is right. Who knows though, he could have made his mind up he's staying or you could have given in," her mother smiled.

"Yeah, he'll be tryin' to make me give in," Rose laughed.

Alec was having a similar conversation with his dad and John, two days before they were leaving to collect Rose then go on holiday. Rose thought they were setting off after school the day it finished and Alec had not told Rose they finished the day before she did.

"Rose is going to get a surprise," John grinned, his arms folded and leaning on the back of a dining chair. "I'll drop you off at the school and you can walk her home, if you want?"

"Yes, I think she'd like that," Alec agreed.

"Alec, don't do anything foolish and try to tempt her to let you move down there or she risk coming up here," his dad reminded him. "I know just how tempting it is."

"Your dad's right," John agreed. "She's doing what she thinks is best."

"I already know that," Alec replied. "It's hard for both of us to wait until she can safely come back or I risk trying to get in the police down there."

"I can just see that," John joked. "You being a trainee detective in London, it's almost like you being accepted where we're going on holiday."

"You never know," Alec's dad replied. "There have to be some Scottish detectives down there."

"Maybe a few years back or on TV," John laughed.

"There are some American ones, me and Rose saw a film with John Wayne playing an American detective following someone," Alec told them.

"Well there you are then," John joked. "I bet you're already packed for our trip then? We could set off tomorrow night, if you want?"

"If we get there early morning, Rose won't want to go to school," Alec replied, wanting to give in.

"Yeah, there's that I suppose. Well that and her mother complaining she wasn't expecting us," John replied.

"That's it!" Alec suddenly got up. "We persuade her mother to come back here or nearby."

"Alec, we've already discussed that," John reminded him.

"Well it's over a year, Bob may not be bothered if she comes back?" Alec objected.

"Alec, we need to keep them both safe from him," his dad reminded him. "We all want Rose back but not if it causes either her or her mother to be targeted by him again. You don't know what influence he had on Rose's mother. I'm sorry Alec but we can't risk it, however tempting it may be."

"Your dad's right," John agreed. "The only way her mother can come back is by going to the police and admitting what happened. They may or may not go easy on her and I'm sure we've talked about it before, that Bob may say she was a willing participant."

Alec did remember a similar conversation when Rose had just left and it pained him just thinking about it, when there had been a glimmer of hope Rose could stay.

"She wasn't though," Alec defended Jackie. "Bob fooled her into thinking it was being a family, she had been on her own all that time. He used the fact Rose's dad died when she was a baby against her."

"We know Alec but it doesn't change anything," John told him. "He could also use the excuse she was desperate and would agree to anything."

"John's right Alec, I'm sorry to say," his dad agreed. "No matter how we look at it, Bob will have it covered, he's clever. If Rose and her mother came back, he could get her mother under his spell again."

"She wouldn't fall for it again," Alec replied.

John raised his eyebrows as if to say wouldn't she? Jackie was vulnerable, that much he knew and maybe she already knew and that was why she was seemingly staying away from men in general. He was glad though that he was a bit younger than she was but she'd accepted him now as Alec's brother.

Rose was getting ready for school on the last day, wishing Alec would call and say they were setting off but that would be later and she would be staying up late again. She didn't mind though, if she got to see Alec a few hours early.

She didn't know she was going to get a surprise and that he planned on waiting for her. Shareen could see Rose wasn't concentrating and kept nudging her.

"Rose, it's a wonder ya got out of bed this morning. What time's Alec arriving?"

"Early hours of the morning and mum says they'll be trouble if they wake her up," Rose replied as they ate their lunch.

"So do ya think you'll pass the final exam?" Shareen wondered. "I suppose ya will?"

"You will as well," Rose patted her arm.

"Only 'cos you helped me," Shareen told her.

"Well Alec used to help me, though that was Scottish history and geography," Rose smiled.

"Yeah, I remember Rose," Shareen pretended to yawn.

Rose saw the funny side.

"Cheer up Rose, it's only a few more hours until they get here," she reminded her friend. "You must be going crazy."

Rose thought that 'Crazy' didn't even cover it. Meanwhile, Alec and John had set off early and hoped to get to London before Rose got out of school but they were currently stuck in traffic on the A1 just the other side of Leeds so they had taken another break by getting off the road and had driven into a small town and parked up.

"We might not get there in time to meet Rose now," Alec was worried as they found a seat to eat their fish and chips.

"Well even so, we'll be there earlier than she expected us," John told him. "That's the main thing. Whatever was causing the hold-up should have cleared by the time we join the road again. They really need to upgrade that road to a motorway."

Alec tried his best not to laugh.

"Laugh all you want little bro, you watch."

"Well by the time they do, I hope Rose will be back in Paisley with me," Alec grinned. "I know her mother's stopping her, Rose thinks I don't know."

"I gathered that," John replied sympathetically. "Rose is just trying to spare you Alec."

"I know but it doesn't help, does it?" he asked. "How can her mother not want her to be happy?"

"Alec, you have to look at it from her mother's point of view. She's just trying to protect Rose. What would happen if she admitted what happened and she gets into serious trouble for it or Bob twists things around?" John asked him.

"I know, you've told me. I know there's no easy way out of it. It's Bob's way of telling me that if Rose won't return to him, he won't let her come back to me."

It pained John to tell him he was right.

"Sorry Alec but yeah, that's just about it. He was robbed of getting Rose involved, if not for you, she could have easily been but when her mother took her away and he tried to guess Rose would come back for you, he didn't reckon on you going to her."

"Well, why hasn't he given up?" Alec wanted to know as he finished his drink.

John raised his eyebrows, thinking it was obvious. Alec got the hint.

"Because she's grown into a beautiful young woman," he replied. "Okay, say she did go back, he knows she won't go along with whatever was going on."

"Alec, it's much deeper than that," John replied as they headed back to the car.

He waited until they set off again, knowing Alec found it hard to accept that not only was Bob and his friends grooming the then young teenagers to go with each other but they were possibly being groomed to go with the other parents. He didn't want to have another conversation about it and remind Alec.

"I know what you're going to say," Alec broke the silence once they were back on the road.

"Forget it Alec, if her mother won't go back and get her out of Bob's clutches, there's nothing any of us can do about it," John reminded him,

"We have to wait then?" Alec asked him as he saw a sign of how many more miles they had to go and hoped they wouldn't get caught in any more traffic.

It was Rose's last lesson, a lesson she wasn't keen on because John used to teach her but she had to make the most of it. Shareen nudged her out of a daydream.

"Ya never know Rose, Alec could be waiting outside for ya."

"How can he?" Rose asked her friend.

"Maybe they took the day off?" Shareen suggested.

That got Rose thinking as she tried to listen to the teacher and not spoil her new record of doing well in the subject.

"Who knows what caused the Highlands clearance?" the teacher asked.

Rose's hand shot up in a second, a smile on her face.

"Anyone other than Rose?" the teacher wanted to know.

Everyone remained silently looking in Rose's direction.

"Go ahead Rose, it seems you have the advantage?" the teacher smiled.

Rose reckoned she could partly thank Alec and John, since their grandparents had told them about it and Rose was sure they'd mentioned they had been involved in some way.

The final bell went and Rose was cramming her books into the floral shoulder bag Alec had bought her.

"Show-off," one of the girls at the back hissed in her direction.

"Take no notice Rose," Shareen tried to pull her away. "She obviously didn't hear how you dealt with those two bullies at the grammar school."

"What's one of those?" the would-be troublemaker wanted to know.

Rose and Shareen just burst out laughing, the other girl's friends also sniggering.

"Stop it you lot," the girl turned to them. "She thinks she's better than us."

"Leave it Marcie," one of them told her. "Did ya see that boy who met her after school once? He's a dream."

Rose tried not to blush but the way Alec was growing up, girls were bound to get jealous of her.

"Well he's miles away, who cares?" the girl replied as she walked off.

John knew Alec was disappointed they wouldn't make it for Rose getting out of school, though he didn't say anything as there was a sign saying 'London 50 miles' before they'd left the road they'd followed all the way to the end.

"We'd best go straight to Rose's flat," John suggested as he looked at the dashboard clock. "She'll still get a surprise when we arrive," he grinned.

He had a feeling Rose would be ecstatic to see Alec again after weeks apart. He did wonder though how long they could keep doing it.

Rose got home, wishing she could have shown Alec off outside the school gates but she knew he would be getting home around the same time and would call her later. She couldn't wait so she decided to call him but there was no answer. She thought maybe he would be at his aunt's with John but his aunt was surprised she'd called.

"Hello Rose dear, how are you?" she asked Rose, since they'd not spoken in a long time. "You could have called me you know?"

"Yeah, sorry Mrs Smith. Is Alec there by any chance?" Rose asked her.

"No dear, he may still be with John," she suggested, knowing they didn't want Rose to know they would be a day early.

"Oh. Never mind, he'll probably call later, I was just anxious to talk to him. He's still not told me where we're going on holiday. I was gonna try and get it out of him."

"Well good luck with that," his aunt laughed. "It must be something special they have planned. Anyway, it's nice to hear from you. I wish we had some good news for you so you could come back, we all miss you. Did you talk to your mother?"

"She won't agree to anything, not even so I can come back," Rose replied, wondering where Alec had got to.

Were he and John up to something? The two of them had got even closer since they found out they were half brothers and she had relaxed somewhat that now Alec could confide in John, he wouldn't be as lonely. She said goodbye to his aunt and promised to call again and went into the kitchen to make a drink and a sandwich. She didn't go to the window but had she known Alec and John had just parked near their usual spot, she would have done.

"Is Rose hanging out of the kitchen window?" John laughed as they got everything out of the back of the car.

"I can't see from here," Alec complained. "We're not in the usual parking space."

"Well we don't usually arrive at this time," John laughed.

Alec smiled as they walked across the playground towards Rose's block of flats, John going to put the code in since he thought Alec was so keen to see Rose, he'd probably put it in wrong. They walked up to Rose's floor and John suggested he went first.

"You think she won't knock you over to get to me?" Alec asked him.

"Oh, right. Maybe you should go first then?" John grinned as he moved out of the way.

Alec did let him ring the doorbell though, then John stood to one side.

Rose heard the doorbell, wondering if it was Shareen calling for her and was about to tell her friend she wasn't in the mood. She opened the door and clasped her hands over her mouth as Alec put his luggage down before she knocked him over.

"Alec! How did ya get here so early? Did the two of ya sneak off school for the day?"

"No, we finished a day early, for some reason," John replied for him, since Rose was already busy kissing him, Alec having a dazed look on his face. "Don't mind me!" he grinned, trying to get past them.

"Hey, sorry," Rose laughed, letting go of Alec long enough for him to pick everything up again.

"We thought we'd surprise you," Alec admitted. "I wanted to surprise you at school but we got caught in traffic."

"Never mind, you're here now. I could have done with ya meeting me at school though, one of the girls was getting funny in class 'cos I knew a bit more of Scottish history than she did."

"You had an unfair advantage," John reminded her.

Rose made them drinks and sandwiches, Alec taking advantage of Rose being busy and taking his things into her room and soon they were catching up on what had been going on regarding Rose going back to Paisley.

"There's nothing new Rose," John told her, knowing she was disappointed. "It's all down to your mother now."

"I keep telling her that," Rose replied as she clung hold of Alec, like he was suddenly going to disappear into a black hole. "She won't go for it, she's too ashamed she got us both caught up in it."

"She was just as much a victim as you were," Alec reminded her.

"It makes no difference to her," Rose replied. "She thinks he'll drag her into it, if he has to face an enquiry."

"Rose, there is something else," Alec told her. "You think I don't know."

"Yes Rose, you may as well admit it," John agreed.

"What are ya talking about?" Rose pretended not to know.

"We both know the reason. Your mother doesn't want you to leave and you're afraid to leave her on her own," Alec told her.

Rose buried her head in Alec's shoulder.

"It's okay Rose, we understand, don't we Alec?" John asked him.

"Yes Rose, it's okay, we don't blame either of you and we know your mother's afraid to go back. It'll be different when you get older, I can wait."

"Can ya?" Rose asked him.

"Is that what's bothering you?" Alec asked her, trying to get her to look at him. "You think I won't wait for you?"

Rose managed a nod, John getting up to leave them to talk.

"Rose, I will wait forever, nothing will change, I promise you."

"What about when ya get to police college Alec?" Rose wanted to know.

"Rose, you'll be back in Scotland by then," he reminded her, trying to kiss her.

"I thought they'd take ya early, if ya got the qualifications?" Rose asked him.

"Well maybe but it still won't change anything. We can get engaged, if you want?"

"Alec, we talked about it. We said we'd wait," she reminded him.

"Well we can, if you want? We don't need to let everyone know, if that's what you're afraid of?"

"No, it's not that Alec. I want to wait until we can be together, I don't need an engagement ring to know."