Serenity. Serenity and an air of peace. It is something that we all need. Perhaps we will find it in a work of art, in a place, in a person.

"I say we line up before more people come to the line"

"Are we actually wasting all of our day in the Louvre?"

It was close to midday when their flight from Nice to Paris arrived in the Orly Airport. The same travelling group plus Molly headed for a snack so they could continue their travels. They had to go back to Nice tomorrow because the boys needed to be in the RMS study tour, however Rose and Molly planned to stay in Paris for another day.

"Jeez calm down Jackie, it's not wasting! What happened with breath the art?" Tommy mocked

"Don't mind him, he lived here. I'm sure he has seen the Louvre a million times" Rose added

"Exactly" Jack nodded "And that's why I know we could go to other places instead... besides, I'm not really in the mood to be surrounded by a mob..."

Rose hugged her boyfriend tightly although he assured her that he was fine, just today was one of those days. What happened to Fabrizio didn't help either, nobody likes to see their best friend suffer. In any case, they had to take advantage of every minute of the trip, because they didn't know when they would all be together again, especially in Paris.

"I say we split into two groups and then meet for dinner, how's that?"

"Perfect Molly. Let's go to the river... come on Rose" Jack grabbed and pulled her hand but the redhead stood stiff as a log "Baby? Come on"

"I... I kinda want to go to the Louvre" She mumbled

"What?" The other three guys teased Jack to death, his own girlfriend didn't trust him to tour Paris with him. Rose mumbled a 'sorry' and shrugged before letting go of Jack's hand and standing beside Tommy. The blonde one was astounded, literally jaw dropped and mouth wide open.

"Are you serious?"

"I'm sorry! I want to see the Mona Lisa!"

"You won't even see it! You're 5' 5"!"

"Alright you're being very rude now..."

"Molly! Which side are you on?"

"Let her see what she wants to see"

Jack took a step closer and brought Rose with him to a not-so-private talk. He lowered to her height and tried to convince her one last time, after all, he had indeed planned a day for them. "Hey, I thought you wanted to see the Water Lilies? We can even go to the garden, it's an hour drive from here"

"I'm sorry, I really want to see the Louvre"

"Alright fine" he gave up and watched her from a distance join Tommy, Fabrizio, and Sean to line up for the next tour.

A peaceful walk on the banks of the River Seine gave Molly and Jack a chance to catch up and remember old times. The young afternoon breeze accompanied them throughout their walk.

"Remember when you were messing around backstage and one of the guys was missing so you stepped up?"

"The funniest day of my life! I'm sorry I ruined your rehearsal"

"No, it was fun! Everyone loved you!"

"I was like seventeen? I don't remember. Ugh I'm so ashamed now that I recall"

"It was funny... it was before I owned the theatre, I think..."

"It was! Are we visiting Anne Marie anytime soon?"

"Maybe after lunch, I want to see how they're doing. Online they seem pretty great"

"Do they? What's their handle?"

"I'll send it to you. And how is... the guy you always used to hang out with... Michael?"

"I don't know" Jack sighed "I haven't heard anything from him since I left two years ago"

Molly looked to ease his memories with a comforting hand on Jack's back "We could look for him, he always painted in the same place"

"No, I'm sure he's not there anymore..."

Despite their age difference, Michael had been a friend and a mentor for Jack. It was a rainy afternoon when he arrived under the bridge, not only with their dinner but with a newspaper in hand. He showed him the ad where they looked for a young art student; Jack didn't give it much importance, his interest had taken root in other things, he didn't need a fancy school right now, he was happy with the bare minimum.

They took a boat through the Seine and Jack made sure to snap a picture of the Eiffel Tower and send it to Rose with the caption 'wish you were here'. He had also made sure to buy two tickets for a cruise through the river at night, where they could catch a glimpse of the famous Love Lock Bridge, a close-up of the Notre Dame Cathedral, located on Île de la Cité, and see the city's oldest bridge, Pont Neuf, which runs across the island. The Orsay Museum in the Left Bank, housed in a former train station and known worldwide for its staggering collection of Impressionist artwork, and almost directly across the river on the Right Bank, the Louvre Museum. And of course, the Eiffel Tower since the cruise departed and docked next to it.

"Right behind you darling" Molly said as they climbed up the stairs. The streets of Montmartre were full of color, just like Jack remembered. Street artists in every corner who shared their paintings with the world. It didn't take them long to arrive to the Anne Marie Theatre, where Molly greeted many people warmly, but Jack didn't recognize them; he assumed they were from the administration. He didn't recognize anyone actually; his old life was gone. What would've happened if he had stayed?

They arrived at the hotel just before sunset and ready to catch up with everybody else. Jack was anxious to ask them about their day, just for the single purpose of saying 'I told you so'.

"I did not see what I wanted. The place was packed to the ceiling. We had to be like gum glued to Sean so he could translate everything for us, and everyone stared at him for being lovey-dovey-matching-outfits with the meatball. Rose wanted to go to the bathroom all the time and we got lost at least three times and that's just before 3pm!"

"How was the Mona Lisa, Tommy?" Jack asked with every intention.

"Don't even get me started..."

The boy laughed it off and headed to Fabrizio and Sean's room. He found Rose chilling with them, she didn't seem very tired at all, perfect timing for the night surprise Jack had planned.

"Hey, how are you guys?"

His best friend was smiling, it had been a good day then. "Rose can i talk to you for a second?" She barely got up and went to the hall "I just wanted to know if we were still going out"

"Gosh we were having so much fun I forgot... can we do it tomorrow?"

Jack sighed. He couldn't drag her against her will, could he? Should he at least try to convince her? No, he was too tired, the trip to the mountain had affected him more than he thought "Sure"

Rose knew he was mad, but didn't exactly know how mad he was, she had only seen him angry a couple of times. In her mind they were just hanging out. Those were Jack's dates usually, nothing too elaborate, just hanging out. Getting something to eat, something to drink, and taking a walk while they talked. It obviously didn't cross her mind he had an itinerary precisely this once. "Jack wait!" She chased him to their room. "I'm sorry. I lost track of time"

"No, it's fine. It's not every day you can gossip and paint your nails with Sean"

"We're just talking it's not gossip! And we're not... why are you being so mean? He didn't do anything to you"

"But it's every day we get to see the Eiffel Tower at night. I had planned a night for us, I was gonna take you to dinner and to see Paris at night. If you don't wanna go it's fin-"

"I do want to go!"

"You don't! And it's fine, really"

"I do!"

Jack started to unbutton his shirt "I'm going to bed..."

"Jack please, let's go out. Please."

"I don't want to"

"Don't be like that!"

"Look, I don't wanna fight. Go out with Sean"

The girl stormed out of the room and returned to her friends. Jack had done his job of falling asleep, he didn't even notice when it got dark.

"Jack" she whispered "Jack" she said a little bit louder this time. Rose slightly moved his shoulder to wake him up. He opened one eye and rubbed both to clear the scene "Jack, I'm ready, let's go out"

"I'm not going out sweetheart, I'm sorry" His hoarse voice responded. The words hurt when they came out of his mouth, he didn't need glasses to notice that his girlfriend was wearing a dress and heels.

"You were ready ten minutes ago! Just put your shirt and pants back on and let's go!"

"I'm sorry"

"I hate you!" She grabbed her bag and slammed the door on her way out.

Jack knew she didn't mean it, but he still let it sink in his darkness. It hadn't been a good day for him but he didn't understand why, if he left Paris was because he wanted to move on, right? Maybe in his mind he expected everything to stay the same... to wait for him. This was exactly the reason why he didn't want to go back to Wisconsin. He was afraid to find that the town had moved on, that his house wasn't there, that everyone had grown up and moved on.

When the beautiful Parisian sunlight woke him up, he found Fabrizio scrolling through his phone beside him. Somehow, he thought this was the most normal thing in the world.

"Fabrizio"

"Jack! Good morning" How does he have this much energy in the morning? I'll never understand...

"What are you doing here?"

"Rose came back too tired so I let her sleep in my bed"

"She what?"

"It's fine, Sean doesn't care. He grew fond of her actually and we didn't want to wake her up"

"What are you talking about?"

"They went out last night after you fell asleep. They arrived early in the morning so i came here to not bother them"

Oh it's on.

"Your boyfriend. And my girlfriend. Went out last night?"

"Whats wrong?"

"She cancelled our date"

"She did that?"

"Yeah. Brizio I don't feel really well, I think I'm not going out today"

"You don't feel well?" Fabrizio placed a hand on his friend's forehead

"I don't mean it like that... I mean... I'm sad"

"Why?"

Jack sighed and sat on the bed. He wondered with a lost stare if he wasn't bothering by bringing more sadness to the situation; but then again, swallowing it had let to a fight with Rose.

"I came here looking for someone who understood me. Back in Chippewa Falls, it was kinda odd to see a guy interested in art... I heard someone say Paris was the art capital in the world, so I came here and I found a community, people that taught me how to pour your heart on the paper, and how to make a better world. I guess I was disappointed when I went looking for them yesterday and couldn't find them. I know Paris is a big city but still... I guess I kinda hoped to see them again. To let them know how I'm doing, to tell them about the cruise and Rose, and you and Tommy... I don't know if it was a desire to prove that I grew up or to prove that I can do things by myself"

"Why did you leave then?"

"I don't know... once you cross a certain barrier it's easier going from place to place"

"Do you think maybe you were running away?"

"Why do you think so?"

"Because you say you found community. For me community is family. Why would you want to leave your family?"

Because he wouldn't go through the same pain again. The drawing sessions weren't the same as in the beginning, people came and go more and more often; Molly had been gone for a while now and wasn't sure if she'd even come back to the theatre, her boyfriend had become the center of her world. The owner of the building already suspected of seeing a 19-year-old boy living alone since he was 17 and doubted if he would have enough money to pay another month's rent. She knew that his income was not safe and sometimes he preferred to spend his time on the streets doing who knows what.

"I guess you're right. I ran away..." Just grow up Jack, you're not seventeen anymore. "That beret looks great on you. Don't ever take it off"

I must have fallen asleep again because the last thing I remember was being in an all-white room, a bright light ahead of me. I don't remember being here before, instead of uncertainty or anxiety I was at peace, I felt a warm in my heart as the light in front of me grew closer and closer. I didn't think twice, i ran to hug her and let the tears I was holding for so many years fall.

"Shh I'm here"

"Mom"

"I'm here baby"

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry..."

"Hey, it was not your fault, I need you to stop blaming yourself for what happened, okay? It was an accident that could have not been prevented. It was not your fault; do you understand me?"

I nodded "I'm sorry... for everything... I should've stayed in the house helping you make dinner... i shouldn't have screamed at you or dad or gone to the stupid tryouts... you needed me and I wasn't there I'm sorry"

"Baby, it's all in the past. It doesn't matter, trust me. It's all good... I'm so proud of you Jack, you look just like your dad"

"Where is he?"

"He's with your brother"

"What?"

"That day at dinner we were going to tell you I was pregnant"

I let the truth sink in. She was pregnant. I killed my little brother. I couldn't breathe anymore. I wanted to drown; I've never hated myself that much in my life.

"Jack. What did I tell you? You never listen"

"How... is he?"

"He's getting bigger. And he loves football. He even told me to tell you to give it a try"

"Thanks but, I'd rather draw to be honest"

She laughed "That's what I told him you would say. Now, when you see a football, please don't recall what happened, alright? Think of your brother and how much fun he has running around and throwing the ball"

"Please don't leave me"

"You have to wake up sooner or later... where's Rose?"

Is she really scolding me?

"Jack" I lifted my head "If you're angry don't take it out on other people. How many times have I told you that..."

"I know... I'm sorry... It's just... I'm scared. Everything is changing and I'm scared."

"Don't be, i'm always by your side. We all are, to guide you."

"Thanks mom"

"Now go to Rose, get that hair out of her face and tell her you love her"

"I will mom. I promise"

"And don't worry about the past"

"Yes mommy, I promise"

"Come here, I love you so much"

"I love you too" she pulled me close into a big hug. She felt warm, I missed her scent so much, It felt like centuries from the last time I hugged her. I can't explain what happened next, but one minute I didn't want her to leave, the next one, I felt a fire inside of me so different than everything I have felt. I felt confidence, I felt my mom beside me, I was excited to wake up and see what happened. I opened my eyes, turned around and noticed Fabrizio was gone. I walked to the room next door and saw Rose sleeping peacefully with a curl on her face. I did as my mom instructed and gave her a kiss.

"I love you with all my heart Rose DeWitt Bukater"

I didn't expect her to wake up, but she did. Sleepily smiling, she grabbed my face and kissed me back.