Green Meadow1870: I'm glad you liked a wedding! I was a bit unsure writing it. And Rose is certainly growing more confident in her voice. Anne and Phillip are very in tune with Rose's life and emotions, they know her well.

Sorry this chapter took a while, it just wouldn't come out! I was planning on finishing it yesterday, but then I got an awful headache. Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-One

Once the wedding was over, Anne smiled at Rose.

"You ready?"

The teenager nodded and they both walked to the stands, picking up two bags.

Lettie walked up to them with a sad smile.

"I'll miss you both," she said, and Rose felt her eyes fill with tears. Lettie had been there for these past two years, she had helped Rose and saved her. She had become Rose's family, and now they had to leave her. Although she knew this moment was coming, it felt strangely unreal.

"We'll miss you too," Rose whispered, throwing her arms around Lettie and hugging her, then moving back so Anne would do the same.

They waved good-bye as Lettie started to walk back to the apartment they had shared for these past couple years. Part of Rose expected her feet to take her to Lettie's side and then walk back with her, but she didn't. And she never would again.

"Anne? Rose?" Phillip said gently. "Are you two okay?"

Rose nodded.

"Worse things have happened to me," she answered, then smiled. "Let's go."

Rose walked into the room. It wasn't small, but wasn't big either. It was just...safe. The walls were a plain white (but Rose knew that would change soon) and there was a bed against the wall across from the door. It had two bedside tables. But what really caught her eye was the bookshelf, which she ran up to, smiling widely.

"I can't wait to decorate it!" she said happily. Phillip's house was beautiful. It was a normal house, with a small front yard and two stories. There were three bedrooms. One for Anne and Phillip, one for Rose, and one for Jackson. If she was being honest she was a bit nervous about sharing a house with him, but she told herself it was just because she had always known she would eventually live with Anne and Phillip but hadn't known about him.

But for now, she was happy.

Soon, it was time for bed. Rose was a bit nervous. She hadn't had a nightmare in a whole (Jackson's strategy really helped) but this was her first time in two years sleeping alone in a room. She always went to bed knowing Anne and Lettie were right there and ready to help if she woke up having a nightmare. But she would be okay. After all, what were the chances that not sleeping in the same room as them would trigger a nightmare?

It turned out they were bigger than she thought.

Jackson couldn't sleep. He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling about that night. Sighing, he got up and decided to take a small walk around the house and try to calm down. He walked out and down the hall to the stairs. Rose's bedroom was right next to them, but he was quite so he wouldn't wake her up.

But then he heard a muffled scream, a scared scream.

He froze, but then walked to Rose's room and opened the door immediately. She was laying on her bed and crying. The pillow had been why her scream was muffled.

He immediately ran up to her bed and sat down, gently putting a hand on her back. She flinched, but he didn't move away. Instead he just started to rub small circles on her back, and she relaxed once she realized he wouldn't hurt her.

Jackson carefully and slowly reached out, wrapping his other arm around her and pulling her into a comforting hug. Rose's sobs started to fade away, and she relaxed. He gently lay her down on the bed and started to move away, but then her fingers tightened on his hand and she whimpered.

He moved closer and lay down next to her, hugging her and keeping her close. She was clearly terrified, and he immediately knew why. She had a nightmare. It must have been caused by her being alone in her room.

Eventually, his eyes started to close too and, without knowing it, he fell asleep.

In the morning Anne walked into Rose's room to wake her up, and was surprised to see Jackson laying next to her. She immediately recognized the signs. The way the blanket looked like it had been twisted around her in a panic, and the way he was holding her carefully. She had a nightmare. She had experienced this before. WHen Rose first moved in with her and Lettie, she would constantly have nightmares and most nights one of them would wake up with her in their arms. After you calmed her down, she was scared to let go and you could only stay with her.

Smiling a bit, she walked up to Jackson and shook him.

"Jackson," she said softly, trying not to wake up Rose. His eyes opened, and then widened. He shot up, and immediately spoke.

"Anne, I'm sorry. She-"

"Had a nightmare," Anne finished with a sigh. "I know. I guess this just freaked her out, being alone. Thank you for calming her. Now, get ready. We're going shopping for her room today."

He nodded, looking relieved, and walked away.

Anne woke Rose next.

"Mom?" Rose muttered, sitting up. "Were you the one who helped me last night? When I had the nightmare?"

Anne shook her head.

"Actually that was Jackson. I found him in here a couple minutes ago."

She pretended not to notice Rose's slight blush.

"Well, I'll thank him later," she said. "I'm going to get ready now."

Once they ate breakfast, the four of them walked outside. They did get a few strange looks, but they ignored them. They decided to split up. Anne and Jackson would get the paint for her room, and then meet Rose and Phillip at another store, where they would get some other things for the room.

Again, they got a few odd looks, but they ignored them and soon they were done. By the next day, the room was done.

"It's amazing!" Rose cheered.

Her room now had lilac walls, with paintings on them. Most of them had been drawn by Jackson,and had been a gift to her. Her favorite was the one of herself. She was in her performing outfit, and on her hoop. Behind her was the circus, and all the other people. Their faces faded in and out, so Rose was the main attraction. Her violet eyes glowed, and she was grinning. There was also one big poster of the circus, which Phin had given her. A candle rested on one of her bedside tables. There was a blue wardrobe against one wall. They had painted little flowers along it, mainly roses. The bookshelf was filled with books. Rose loved to read, and had taught herself using the orphanage books years ago. The bed now had violet sheets. Above it was her name, Rosalyn Violet Carlyle.

It truly was amazing.

The next day was supposed to be another performance. ROse was excited. She had been practicing the trick with her hoop for months. She would climb to the top of it, then jump off, do a flip in midair, and grab the hoop with one hand before swinging herself forward and land safely on the ground, going into the splits while in a handstand. It was complicated and hard, but she was sure she could do it. She had done it in practice a million times already anyways.

But then it happened.

She had just let go and done the flip when she reached for the hoop...but her hand closed around empty air. SHe wasn't ready and started to fall. SHe didn't scream, but everyone in the crowd gasped in fear.

Jackson was waiting for her act, which was after her's, and immediately rushed forward. He managed to catch her before she hit the ground. Rose gave him a grateful smile as the crowd applauded. Pretending that was part of the act, they bowed before she turned away, letting him do his act.

Once the finishing song was over, Rose immediately thanked Jackson.

"Thank you!" she said, smiling at him. "It's so lucky you were there to catch me."

He just smiled and took her hand.

"You're my friend Rose, of course I was there."

Her violet eyes caught his brown ones, and for a moment neither one of them moved, but then the spell was broken by Anne and Phillip arriving.

"Thank you Jackson," Anne said. "For saving Rose. And Rose-"

"I didn't expect that to happen!" she said defensively. "I managed to do it a million times before and I was fine!"

Anne chuckled a bit at her daughter's stubbornness.

"I was going to say, I'm glad you're safe."

"Oh," Rose looked sheepish, and they all chuckled, making her grin. Suddenly, they heard a new voice behind them, one that made Phillip tense up.

"Hello Phillip."

He turned around and spoke in an emotionless voice.

"Mother. Father."

Cliffhanger! Why do you think Phillip's parents are there? Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter - especially Rose and Jackson's interactions.

-Creator of Magic