The next morning, Jack woke and sat up in bed, trying to ignore the flowery scent of Rose's perfume, left on his pillows the night before. He closed his eyes and wondered if having her in his room had been such a good idea after all. How could he make a good decision when he woke up missing her because her perfume lingered on his bedding and the memory of her lips still lingered against his own?

He should never hae allowed those few chaste kisses. He did not know what he had been thinking, but to be honest...he really couldn't have helped himself. Maybe Lisa was right. Maybe having Rose here, in the same house, under the same roof, maybe it was a bad idea. It made him want something that he shouldn't. But having he here was good for Cora. How the child had calmed down so quickly last night was proof of that. Cora was the important thing here. Not the fear of his own feelings and what would come of them if he followed such urges.

But what if Rose left again? That would hurt Cora, who was now old enough to remember, unllike last time. Cora was now aware of Rose. Her absence would definitely hurt..

Jack sighed and shook the troubling thought out of his head as he ran a trembling hand through his messy blond hair. He looked for a comb and began to get ready for the day, sorting out his feelings while he still could. Rose was not going to leave again. He was almost certain of that. She was so determined to get her life back, he couldn't picture her taking off again. But if she did...well he would just take care of Cora like always. Soothe her hurt feelings the best he could and carry on with life. But Rose deserved this second chance and so did Cora...

And maybe he did too...not that what he deserved or even wanted mattered. It couldn't, not if he was to make the right decision in all of this.

Dressed and ready for the day, Jack had stepped out of his room just in time to hear Cora waking up, ready for breakfast. Chuckling, he went into the nursery and was not surprised to see the child sitting up in bed wide awake, a big smile that was only meant for her daddy lighting up the room. She lifted her arms out for Jack to take her.

"Good morning, Angel," Jack walked over and scooped her up into his arms, cuddling her close and kissing her plump cheek. "Are you hungry? Come on, daddy will make you your favorite, oatmeal and berries. Auntie Lisa had brought some just for you."

"Yay!" Cora clapped her small hands as Jack carried her down into the kitchen, where Weaver sat at the kitchen table finishing off a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, Uncle, jack greeted, laughing when Cora began to reach her arms out for the older man to take her. "Wow, I feel the love this morning."

"Don't take it personally, kid. I am just irresistable when it comes to the fairer sex. Baby Cora is no exception," Weaver snorted, tking the baby from his nephew.

Jack couldn't help himself. He had noticed his uncle's attempts to flirt with the icy Ruth Dewitt Bukater and just had to tease him. "Well, I guess no one had informed Rose's mother of that, seeing that she barely responds to your efforts."

"She's thawing. I can tell. It's just going to take a little bit longer..."

"If you say so," Jack shrugged as he began to prepare the oatmeal.

"Speaking of Rose's mother...I noticed that the girl was in your room a good long while last night."

"What? Are you and Lisa keeping tabs on who goes in and out of my room now?" Jack frowned, feeling a little annoyed. He had thought that his Uncle was on his side when it came to Rose's presence here. He had thought that Weaver would be the last person giving him a hard time.

"Of course not. I had just heard the girl crying and was about to go check on her, just to see that you had beaten me to it and had taken the girl into your room and that you both hadn't come out until Cora woke up calling for you."

Jack sighed and again shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to make a big deal out of the night before. "She had a bad memory last night. An especially bad memory. So yeah, I had her stay with me for a while."

Weaver nodded, taking note of how tense his nephew now seemed. It was obvious that he didn't want to talk about it. Normally, Weaver would listen to those cues, but his curiousity was too great this time around. He couldn'back down. Besides, maybe he could give some much needed advice.

"So you comforted her? He her, talked her through it, perhaps even let her sleep in your bed until she felt better..."

"Um...yeah..."

"Maybe even kissed her a few times...," The way his nephew paused was all the answer that Weaver needed. He looked at the child in his arms. A beautiful product of something that was maybe a little damaged, but still existed. "You still love the girl. You love her just as much now as you did two years ago."

Jack's voice was a bit defensive, maybe a little angry even. Why was his Uncle questioning him like this? What was the point? "What if I do? It doesn't change anything. We've missed two years of each other's lives. We're not the same people anymore!"

Weaver gave a sad chuckle, feeling sorry for his nephew because he had never realized what Weaver himself had always known, ever since his own father had died just a few days after his mother so many years back. It was a fact that both he and his brother, Jack's father, had been very aware of. "It doesn't matter, son. You see, you are a Dawson man and one thing about us Dawson men is that once we love...we love forever. No matter what. The only thing that could change that is death, and even after that, it takes a good long time for us to even feel like looking for a new woman. Once we give our hearts, that's it. No matter how hurt we get, no matter how much time passes. When you gave that girl your heart, it was hers to keep always. No matter how much you both have changed."

Jack turned around to face the older man, his heart full of emotion knowing that his own father would have been giving him the same advice if he had lived. "What should I do, then if there is no getting over Rose, even if I wanted to...?"

"What do you want to do?"

Jack sighed as he bowed his head, knowing that there was only once answer to that question...an answer that he was afraid of. "I want her back. I want things back to the way they were before her breakdown..."

"But?"

"But I'm...I'm scared! I don't trust her like I had back then, before her breakdown! My heart wants her back, but my brain screams for me to be careful. To not rush back to her and pretend that the past two years had never happened!"

Weaver nodded, understanding Jack's hesitation, yet needing to warn him against it. He wanted to see his nephew happy again. He wanted little Cora's family to be whole. Sure, he did not know Rose before her break down, but he did see how she looked at his nephew. He saw the look of a woman gazing at her whole world when ever she looked at Jack. The girl may not remember the life the had lived together and the past that had brought them together...but that love was still there and as strong as ever. It was a love that was pure and true. A love that his nephew deserved.

"Look, I know that trust is important. Almost as important as love. Almost. But if the love between you two is strong...as strong as I'm sensing it is, well then the trust can be rebuilt. It can be earned once again. She just needs a honest and good chance at it."

Jack took in Weavers words and mulled them over. "You think that that I should take her back. Let her be my wife again...no more taking things slow...?"

"If you ever mean to be happy again, stop ignoring your heart. Accept her back into your life fully. The trust will return soon enough, but the love is there and neither one of you will be complete if things remain the way they are. You're meant to be together, not apart, not semi together, but a full couple."

It was right then when Rose entered the kitchen, followed by Ruth. Rose's eyes met Jack's and he felt his heart constrict as he remembered how wonderfully soft her lips were against his own.

"Good morning, Jack," She blushed, remembering the night before as well.

"Good morning, Rose, he barely got out, his eyes never leaving hers as he realized the truth of his Uncle's words. Indeed, he was agoing to love this woman for as long as they both lived. There was never going to be any getting over her.

"Is there any tea, here?" Ruth frowned, heading towards the cupboard. She felt like she hadn't had a good cup of tea in ages!

"We may be out. Jack, why don't you and the girl run to the market to get some tea. I am sure that she knows the kind that her mother likes. In the meantime, Ruth and I will take care of the princess for you?" Weaver grinned, wanting to give Jack and Rose the much needed alone time.

"Oh, there is no reason to go out of your way," Ruth stammered, a bit taken aback, having no idea of Weaver's plan.

"It's no problem. I...um...I need to discuss something over with Rose anyway. A walk to the market would be perfect," Jack nodded, deciding to take the opportunity that his Uncle was presenting.

"You want to talk to me? Alone?" rose stared, surprised. She hadn't even hoped to get some alone time with Jack, not this quickly!

"Yeah. It won't take long, I promise," Jack chuckled, finding the clear surprise on her face adorable.

"Oh. Okay. Lead the way," Rose smiled, before turning to her mother who gave her a nodd of approval. "We will return soon, mother. With your favorite tea..."

"Earl Grey," Ruth nodded, feeling pleased at the turn of events.

Rose just nodded in agreement as she followed Jack out of the kitchen and out of the house, wondering where this little trip to the market really was going to lead her.