A/N: There are a lot of quotes here from the past, so feel free to just skim them. Also Jake fights with himself (mentally).
He couldn't believe it, Nigel Thall. What did Nigel Thall have that he didn't?! Jake mentally slapped himself, he didn't know why he was over reacting, wasn't he the one who decided that Rose deserved a normal life? Wasn't he the one who decided that Rose deserved a lot more than he could give? Not knowing where he was looking, Jake bumped into someone. He shook his head and apologized, meeting the person eye to eye to find out that it was Rose. "Oh hey Rose."
"Hey," she answered with a smile.
"I hear you're going out with Nigel," Jake endeavored to sound cool and casual. He hoped it was working.
"Yeah I am."
"That's cool," he lied. It would seem no matter what situation they were in, no matter what happened, Jake could not forget about Rose. He couldn't stop thinking about her; he couldn't help but want to be with her; he couldn't help but want her to want to be with him--to like him as much as he liked her. If not having Rose was the price of having magical powers--being the American Dragon---then he could forsake being magical or well-known just to be with her. However that wasn't the choice he was given. It was either: let her die or let her live and forget about him. He would rather have her alive and not know him than dead but had once known him.
Allow her to live a normal and happy life like she wanted, or drag her into chaos and be miserable? Definitely the former. Unfortunately he couldn't help himself, "Hey Rose do you wanna be partners in---"
"Hello there," someone said smoothly with a charming accent.
Jake turned around to find Nigel Thall.
Rose smiled, "Hey Nigel."
"Are you ready?"
"Hold on for a second," the beauty turned her attention to Jake. "You were saying?"
"Huh?" Jake tried to remember what he was going to ask. "Oh nevermind."
"No go ahead and say it."
"I forgot," he lied again.
Rose laughed, "All right. If you remember tell me okay?"
"Aiight."
"See you Jake," she waved as she walked away with Nigel.
Jake seethed with jealousy and anger.
xxx
"Jakie I thought that you wanted this," Trixie grabbed several things from her locker and stuffed them in her book bag. "Weren't you the one you said 'she deserves a normal life' after Spud and I told you to talk to her and try to win her heart again?"
"Yeah I know. But that's it. No matter what I do, my heart gets the better of me. Ugh! I don't know what to do!" he pounded on the lockers.
"Man...you really got it bad," Spud added.
xxx
"He's probably using some kind of magic on her. I mean why would she go out with him?" he asked as they walked around outside.
"Jake we're taking about the girl who went out with Brad, remember?" Trixie reminded him. "We're also talking about the girl who went out with you even though she's WAY outta your league by our school's society standards---"
"Thanks Trix," Jake mumbled.
"---The girl doesn't care about things like that," she continued, ignoring his comment.
"What are you talking about?" Spud scratched his head, "You make it sound like he's a geek or dork. He's mega popular."
"Come on Spud. The girl rolled with Brad and Stacey...there is a slight major difference with Jake's popularity and Rose's."
Jake dashed toward a window and groaned. He looked longingly inside, where Nigel and Rose, were having their date. "Ugh..."
"Mm-mm," Trixie shook her head. "Homeboy better not go into that phase again." She recalled the time when Rose left after she found out about Jake's identity, and he went into depression.
"This might be easier for him if he didn't see her around," Spud commented.
"Or it could drive him insane. Absence makes the heart grow fonder," Trixie shook her head. "Look Jakie, let's go to the arcade."
Jake couldn't take it anymore. The first two rounds he completely dazed out and lost at the game he practically owned! Therefore the American Dragon marched up to the place where he last Nigel with Rose. Meanwhile, his friends pulled and tugged on his arm, digging their heels into the cemented sidewalk causing friction trying to stop him from going.
"Guys let...me...go...!" Jake dragged their forms, involuntarily with him.
"You can't just go in there--barging in like you've got the right to be mad at him and yell at the poor boy!" Trixie pointed out.
"I have every right to be---"
"No you don't Jakie. Rose isn't your girlfriend anymore--"
"Was she ever really?" Spud asked earnestly. The two of them never officially dated.
"Not helping Spud!" the chastised her friend, then turned her attention back to Jake."She's not your girl anymore."
"You know," Jake began with down casted eyes. "Out of all the things I could do with magic, I can't seem to have her." The one girl he wanted more than anything. He was still trying to get his friends off of him so he could confront Nigel. "Besides Rose is too good for him. He must be using something on her."
"It's called being nice or charming Jake. And what happened to your 'she deserves a normal life and I'm not normal' thing?"
"Yeah. But I'm rescuing her. He is not normal!"
"You're not normal either," Spud pointed out.
"I'm saving her from someone who also isn't normal!" Jake explained as he finally broke free from his friends' grips and ran off. Trixie and Spud called after him and chased him.
xxxx
Jake eventually arrived at the place where Rose was having her date with Nigel, after he dragoned up and flew there. He dashed inside and headed for the table he saw Nigel and Rose last. He was surprised to find Nigel all by himself. "Huh?"
"Oh hi Jake," Nigel greeted politely. Jake narrowed his eyes at the wizard.
"Where's Rose?"
"In the restroom," he answered. Jake took a seat across from Nigel without an invitation.
"What did you do to her?" he whispered. "I mean why is she dating you all of a sudden?"
Nigel looked at Jake with confusion, "She's a nice girl---"
"Yeah she is, so you just decided to take advantage of her didn't you?!"
"What?" Nigel questioned irritatedly.
"You used some spell on her didn't you? That way she'd go out with you!"
"No!" Nigel replied, outraged of being accused. "Why would I do that?"
"You've done it before!"
"That was different! I don't need to use spells to get a girl to go out with me." Nigel told his classmate confidently.
"Is that so? Well Rose just doesn't go out with anybody, so why you?"
"What's it to you?" Nigel asked, wondering why he was getting into people's business.
"It's my business," Jake insisted.
"What? Are you like her ex-boyfriend or something?"
"Look are you gonna tell me or not?" he asked, avoiding his question.
"Stalker?"
"No!" He wouldn't call it. He was more of her protector. Why was Nigel avoiding to answer anyway?
"Jealous?"
Jake leaned forward, "Look. She's a really good friend of mine. I don't want her getting hurt or getting into our messed up, non-normal life. That's all." He told him half the truth.
"My intentions are good," Nigel explained. "I'm still kind of new and well Rose showed me the ropes, and was kind enough to accept my proposal to go out on a date with me. Okay?"
"Fine," Jake sighed and leaned back on his chair. "I'm sorry I accused you of using magic on her."
"It's all right," Nigel replied. "But what do you mean Rose and you are good friends? She only really hangs out Courtney."
"Nothing." Jake was still not convinced. In addition, Nigel still wasn't good enough for Rose. No offense to the young man or anything, he was probably a really really nice date but still. He left Nigel at his table and on his way out bumped into Rose. He seemed to be doing that a lot today.
"Uh. Hi Jake, what are you doing here?" Rose asked with a friendly smile.
"Rose! I...uh...I n-need to talk to you!"
"What about? I'm kinda in the middle of something. Can you make it quick?"
Jake looked at Rose. She was so beautiful. No Barbie doll could even compare to her! Not that he would know what a Barbie doll really looked like. Sure he'd seen them, after all he had to play with Haley. He shook his head of his inane thoughts of Barbie dolls and looked into Rose's blue eyes.
"She's my boo."
"Young dragon! I...am trying to show you a valuable training tool and you are talking nonesense about who your boo!"
"Rose is my boo
After all we've been through
And a love that's taboo
Going on a love cru.
Me and my boo."
----
"Easy! Chica you mustn't blame all your romantic bo bos on the Cupid. The romance is not easy to control. Even with my precious arrows of love. "
---
"You...You used one of Cupid's arrows on me?"
"I...I was supposed to be guarding them. But then I saw you with Brad--I guess...I guess I thought you didn't like me anymore. If I'd known this whole thing was almost going to get me slained...I..."
"An unfocused and distracted dragon, is a slained dragon."
"What?"
"I'm sorry Jake. But I don't think this is going to work out."
"Rose don't say that! I should've trusted you! I---"
"From now on, I think we need to keep our relationship strictly professional."
----
"I did it myself Trix, Rose had real feelings for me. I just didn't trusted her."
----
"You were right about love. You can't control it, you can't create it--and even then, sometimes it isn't enough."
Was that true? Was it not enough? In the beginning they were mortal enemies. They fought one another happily without ever knowing or thinking who the other person was. It didn't matter. Jake loved fighting with Huntsgirl at times, and he was attracted to her--but he knew deep down he couldn't possibly feel anything for her that was meaningful. He was wrong.
When he found out Huntsgirl was Rose, he was distraught. When she set him free after finding out his identity, he was exuberant. The woman he loved felt the same way he did! She let him go after all, instead of slaying him! Jake thought that they could finally be together without the secrets and sudden and poor excuses of disappearing from one another. Yet again, he was wrong. When he was finally reunited with her three months later, the Huntsman kept a close eye on her---then the whole Cupid's arrow fiasco.
Now, her memory of them was gone. Love wasn't enough and yet, Jake still hoped.
---
"It's more than that...I just...I want a normal life. A life where I don't have to worry about giant snakes or magical beetles."
She deserved a normal. She wanted a normal life. Rose told him himself, so why couldn't he just leave her alone? Why did he have to insist that she was his? Why was it that he let her go--by allowing her to have a normal life--and yet held onto her? It wasn't fair, it wasn't right. He had no right to hold her away from the life she so desired.
---
"Your parents! That's why you're doing this."
"All I wanted was a normal life, but the Huntsclan took that away from me. And now there's only one way this can end Jake. I'm sorry."
See? Remember? Jake leave her alone! Leave her alone! She doesn't want you! She wants a normal life!
But Nigel's---
She wants Nigel. Let her be happy!
---
"By the pantheon of Aztec skulls I hereby wish for the destruction of all---"
"The destruction of all Huntsclan!"
"Rose why did you...?"
"I said there was only one way this could end, and this is it--with the destruction of the Huntsclan."
"But you're one of them. That means..."
"I know what it means...but even if we destroy the skulls, they know your human identity Jake. They'd find your family like they did mine. This way, they'll be safe. They'll all be safe."
She did everything for you, Jake. She was willing to sacrifice her very being to save you and your family---and your secrets. Don't you think she deserves a normal life? Don't you think she deserves better? At least with Nigel, hardly any harm will befall her. But you are the American Dragon. Danger will always lurk in your shadows. Danger will follow you and your family, as well as your friends and other loved ones. Rose is your weakness. Do you think your enemies would hesitate to use her against you? Do you believe that some of them would be lenient and remorseful toward her or her family? Don't you know any better? There are dirty and heartless people out there who could care less about you.
After all the Huntsman used her to get to you, didn't he? Didn't he force her to betray you and leave you broken hearted to believe she betrayed you? What makes you think history won't repeat itself? You know the saying, history does repeat itself.
"Thank you Jake, for everything. I'll never forget you."
But she did forget you, didn't she?
No! It's my fault she forgot me! I'm the one who wished that she was never taken away, so duh she would naturally forget. Besides, don't you remember? She asked me, the day after homecoming if we met before--she told me I looked familiar.
True.
"Rose no!"
"Jake, let go. I'll be okay. I promise. I'll be okay."
She is okay. Now, do what she asked you and let go.
"We have to do something! We have to use the skulls to save her."
"Sorry kid, but the skulls need to be destroyed. Their powers is just too dangerous."
"To use them for your own personal gain would---"
"It wouldn't be for my own personal gain! It would be for hers! She deserves a normal life! With a family who cares about her. I wish Rose was never taken by the Huntsclan!"
"ARRRR! Consider them destroyed!!!"
---
"You can't save me Jake. It's too dangerous."
"You're worth it."
Rose was worth it. Shouldn't he try again? Besides, she deserved better than Nigel Thall! She deserved better than Brad, Nigel, Jaren MacArthur, and any other guy.
---
"I've been obsessing over Rose for too long...it's just...it's time for me to let her go."
"Is that what your gut tells you?"
"No. Not really."
"Then keep looking for her. Just don't it take over your life."
"Thanks for Fu. For the potion, for everything."
" Yeah well, I'm a dog kid. Loyalty kinda comes with the territory. So you think she feels the same way about you?"
"I know she does. Where ever she is."
She was standing right in front of him, and he knew that if he could get her to remember, she would be his. However did she want to remember? Did she still want him? Sure, he knew that Rose would've always cared for him--but it's different now. She was living a normal life--the life she coveted. Did he want to be responsible for disrupting that peace she had in her life?
"Hey Jake?" Rose called out, shaking him out of his thoughts.
"Oh..uh.."
"Are you okay?" she asked concerned, since he seemed to daze off for a minute.
"Yeah. Yeah," he told her.
"Well what was it you wanted to tell me?" She was in the middle of her date and she had to get back to Nigel, or he might think she ditched him or something. Jake sighed and shook his head.
"Uhh. Nevermind. It's not too important...it can wait."
He couldn't do it.
"Are you sure?" she asked. Maybe he remember what he needed to tell her.
"Yeah I am."
Rose opened her mouth to say to him, just tell her but she stopped herself. "Okay. Well don't forget okay?"
"Gotcha," he answered with a forced smile. He left her to her date and saw her walk over to him, probably apologizing for taking so long. When he arrived outside, he found Trixie and Spud waiting for him.
"Jakie..."
"We're sorry."
"Nah," he told his friends. "It's my fault."
A/N: Please review.