When Jack awoke the next morning, Pitch was already gone and there was a note on the pillow with a single red rose beside it. Sweetheart, I had to go. I didn't want to wake you. I'll see you soon. I love you.

Jack smiled at the note and rolled out of the bed with a stretch. He dug through his pants pockets for his phone so he could send a quick text. Thanks for the note. I hope you have a safe trip.

K: I will. Try to stay out of trouble, flower child.

J: I'll do my best. What should I do about the house? Lock the door on my way out?

K: Yes, please. I've also left a spare key for you by the front door. The place is yours if you ever miss me too much to bear it.

J: I don't think I'd be comfortable in such a big place without you here.

K: Will you still accept the key?

J: Of course. When you come back I might even be willing to return the favor and let you stay the night at my place.

K: Really? That would be nice. You've seen my place, but I have no idea where you go at the end of the night. Totally unacceptable.

J: I'll try to remedy that when you return to me.

K: I hope we finish filming quickly. I already miss the feeling of your skin.

J: I hope so too. The shop will be lonely without having you come in every other day.

K: Missing me already?

J: Of course I am. I love you, after all.

K: Try not to miss me too much or else you'll make me want to come home.

J: I wouldn't mind you coming home early.

K: I know you wouldn't.

J: But I understand you have to do work so I kind of hope you stay away so it means you're getting lots of work.

K: You're nervous about asking me to rush home to you. You always babble when you're nervous.

J: Because I'm nervous about your reaction when it's something I'm serious about.

K: Are you expecting me to get angry that you want me to come back?

J: At least annoyed. I'm being clingy. Even I can see that.

K: I don't mind. It's nice to be missed.

J: I guess you're not used to having someone at home to miss you, huh?

K: I usually avoid making deep connections, and the people around me usually feel the same. They prefer me to leave them quickly.

J: I'm quite the opposite. You okay with that?

K: I think I could get used to it.

J: I'm glad. Alright. I'm leaving your place now.

K: Okay. I should probably get off my phone so the hostess doesn't think I'm a terrorist or something. I love you.

J: Love you too. Text me when you land safely.

K: I will!

Jack smiled down at his phone and got in his car. He still had a few more hours before his shift started and had every intention to shower and rest before then.

"I have a surprise, Jack!" Fairy skipped over to the door as Jack came in. "You know how Bunny's been thinking of getting a TV for the back room?"

"Yesssss?" He eyed her suspiciously as he set his backpack down.

"Well, I may have pulled some strings and be finally gotten one." Fairy pulled him to the back and splayed her arms. "Ta-daaaa!" The TV was a small, older model, but it was a TV nonetheless.

"That's awesome. Now you can have something to watch while you work." Jack pulled her into a big hug.

"Should we give it a test run? I've been wanting to catch up on some of the latest gossip."

"Gossip? Really? We can't watch something else?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Anything else. We could even watch game shows for all I care."

"Fine, fine. We can watch something else."

"Thanks, Fairy. You're a doll. I'm going to go to the bathroom really quick. You can watch your gossip stuff until I get back."

"Yay!" Fairy skipped over to the TV and turned it on, flipping through the channels to find a gossip show.

Jack laughed and left the room. When he came back, he saw a familiar face on the TV. "Hey, it's Kozmotis."

Fairy turned slowly to look at Jack with wide eyes. "That's Pitch Black. The Pitch Black."

"No, that's Kozmotis. You know, the guy I've been dating and texting constantly."

"Jack Frost, your boyfriend, our star customer, is Pitch Black!" She turned up the volume of the TV. Pitch Black, popular actor and infamous ladies man has been missing from the public eye for a few weeks. Where has he been? It's been rumored that he has been dating a certain female actress, who had also gone "missing" during the same time. Will we soon hear word of another infamous rose bouquet? Or perhaps wedding bells?

Jack's smile fell into a confused frown. "Ladies man? Infamous rose bouquet?"

"If your Kozmotis and the famous Pitch Black are really the same person, that's nothing! Another show said that he uses roses, our roses I take it, as gifts for his...lady friends after they sleep together! He's slept with almost every actress in Hollywood!"

"That can't be true. This is just a gossip show. It can't be true, right?" He looked at his best friend, concerned. "Right?"

"I dunno. He has bought a lot of roses in the past, but maybe he just likes roses?"

"He always told me he was buying them for his mom."

"Maybe he is? I dunno! That certainly looks like him, but that he would be so cruel as to...oh my God. What if he's just been trying to seduce you? What the hell is happening?!"

"Don't say that! He wouldn't do that to me. He loves me." Despite the confidence he tried to instill in his voice, his heart hammered nervously in chest.

"I know, I mean...he has to. Yeah, he has to. Why else would he come in here all the time?"

"You don't think…"

"I'm not thinking anything! You know what? Let's not jump to any conclusions. Let's wait until he gets home, and then you should ask him calmly and peacefully. He'll deny it and say he must have a doppelgänger in Hollywood and then everything will be fine."

"He's an actor, Tina! What are the chances there's another actor that could be his identical twin?!"

"Umm...small, I'm guessing? But it happens!"

"I somehow doubt that with my luck that's what's happening right now."

"What are you going to do?"

"I think we need to do some further research on Pitch Black."

"Jack, what if it's true?"

"Then he won't have me to come back home to."

"Don't you think this is something you should talk to him about? He might have an explanation."

"No!" He threw his jacket at his bag. "He's had all the time in the world to explain! I told him from the beginning how hard it is for me to trust people. He had loads of opportunities to tell me the truth but didn't. He had his chances, and now he's lost them."

"What are you going to do?"

"If it's true, I can't stay here." He could feel the tears threatening to spill over even at the thought. "I can't face him again."

"So are you just going to leave? You can't quit!"

Jack gave a small shrug. "Maybe the Bennetts could use me back. I think Jamie said his dad was thinking of retiring soon."

"Well…" She chewed at her lip. "I'll miss you, but the Bennett's aren't too far away. I could still come see you during my breaks!"

"If I leave, it won't be the end of us. I'm your GBF and Man of Honor, after all." He tried to smile but failed miserably.

Fairy walked over to him and hugged him tightly. "I won't tell him where you are, I promise."

"Hopefully we won't have to get to that point." Jack squeezed her back.

"He has to look for you if he loves you."

"I'll look more into it on my break."

"I don't want you to go, but I get it."

"We'll see what turns up." Jack reluctantly pulled away from her so he could work. "Do you mind if I just sorta work in the back for awhile?"

"Yeah, totally. I'll take care of the front for as long as you need me to."

The hours went by slowly for Jack. By the time his lunch break rolled around, he'd finished all of their orders for the next two days and organized everything in the back room just to keep himself busy. He disappeared to the break room for an hour and returned on the verge of breaking down in tears. "Fairy?"

"Yeah, Jack?"

"Are you busy tonight?" He asked quietly.

"I was planning on eating a ton of ice cream and chocolate and watching a movie or two. Wanna join me?"

"Yes, please," his voice cracked.

"I also have some nice bottles of red wine and champagne that we can pop out." Jack only nodded miserably before darting forward and wrapping her in a tight hug. Fairy held him tightly and brushed her hand over his hair. "I'm gonna make a quick call, and then you and I are getting out of here."

"Okay," he whispered. Jack was never one to leave a shift early, but he just didn't think he could make it through the rest of day. He pulled away slowly and tossed his apron on the hook.

Fairy went into the back to make her call and then came out, purse in hand. "Let's go, hun. You can carpool with me, and Nick says you can spend the night if you want."

"Thanks for the offer, but I have to go home to take care of Snowball at some point." Jack picked up his backpack and turned the shop sign to "Closed."

"Well, the offer's there if you want it. It might be best if you're not alone right now."

"True," he mumbled. "I'll see if maybe Sandy can feed her for me." Jack pulled out his phone to text his next door neighbor.

"Atta boy." Fairy looped her arm through his and walked with him towards her car.

While Jack was texting his neighbor, he got a text. Safely landed. Have you kept out of trouble so far, flower child?

"F-Fairy," Jack stopped and patted her arm to get her attention. "What do I do? He's texting me!"

Fairy grabbed his phone and read the message. She shook her head and dialed his number. "Hey, it's Fairy. Stop texting Jack, asshole. We're on to you, and he doesn't want to talk to you anymore. Fuck off." She hung up and handed the phone back. "Problem solved."

Jack stared at her with eyes blown wide. "Now what do I do?! He's going to start calling and texting back to figure out what just happened!"

"Exactly. If he really loves you, he'll make an effort. I think it's time he either leaves you alone or actually earns you. Now, phone off."

"Phone...off." He obediently turned the device off and got into his friend's car.

"Serves him right. If it's true, then he's been a really mean guy. Why should you be stressed out over making him happy?"

"It's all true. All the gossip and sites. There's pictures people have put up of them together and everything." Jack looked down at his lap miserably.

"You may be different. You might be the one he actually likes, unlike those fake bimbos."

"It doesn't change the fact that he lied about it all. He knew my feelings on lying and still chose to keep it from me."

"He'll have to explain himself, if he chooses to look for you."

"I don't know if I want him to look for me or not."

"Of course you do. You're in love with the guy."

"Should I still be after what he did?"

"I don't really know. A part of me thinks you should hear him out but then another part thinks you should just kick him to the curb."

"I don't know what to do."

"Right now you're coming home with me so we can eat incredibly unhealthy foods, get absolutely tipsy, and watch crap on TV."

"You're the best," Jack answered quietly, reaching over to take her hand.

"I know. I'll even let you have your pick of ice cream." Jack cracked the tiniest of smiles. They'd known each other for years, and Tina always knew exactly what to say to make him feel better. "I had Nick pick up chocolate mint, pistachio, cookie dough, birthday cake, vanilla and chocolate swirl, caramel, and brownie."

"I call mint and birthday cake."

"Thank God. I was gonna have to fight you if you picked cookie dough," Fairy chuckled.

"I'd never choose it. I know it's your favorite." He squeezed her hand.

"I'd have shared though. You look like you could use the magic of cookie dough ice cream."

"Obviously the sprinkles in birthday cake are way more magical."

"Oh, obviously," Fairy laughed as she pulled into her driveway. "I do have extra rainbow sprinkles if that's something you'd like."

"You shouldn't have offered. Now I'm going to use your whole bottle."

"You have complete permission. I think you need them more than me tonight."

"I think I agree with you on that." He got out of the car with a sigh.

"Forget about him. Every time you sigh or frown, I'm going to make you take a shot."

Jack groaned. "Is your intention to get me completely smashed?"

"Uh-huh."

"I still have work tomorrow, you know."

"No you don't! Well, you have a delayed opening. I may have hinted that I was gonna get you smashed, and everyone agreed that it would be for the best."

"You're awful and wonderful at the same time."

"I know. I get that a lot."

"I'm sure you do," he chuckled half-heartedly. "Now let's get started on that ice cream and booze so I can forget about him for the night."

"Sounds perfect."

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you guys enjoyed the latest chapter. Let's say 5 reviews to get the next?