"Rose. Come downstairs. Breakfast is served and Caledon has been waiting for you."

"Okay mother. I heard you the last five times," she said the last part under her breath. She finished off the braid in her hair and draped it loosely over her shoulder. She sighed heavily and smoothed down the light sun dress she had on. She didn't get much sleep the night before due to thoughts of Jack running rampant through her mind, so she dusted a little extra powder under her eyes.

"Good morning, Cal," she said lightly as she took a seat across from him at the small table that sat on the balcony. Her eyes scanned over the array of breakfast foods neatly put out by their made, Trudy. Her stomach grumbled in anticipation until her eyes made their way to Cal. His body language and facial expression made it very obvious that he was not in a good mood. She tentatively reached for her coffee and took a small sip before speaking up. "Is everything alright?"

He cleared his throat and poked at the eggs on his plate. "I was hoping you would spend the night with me last night," he said, his eyes never meeting hers. She took advantage of this and rolled her eyes dramatically before reaching for the bowl of fruit that sat in front of her.

"I was tired."

"Well your activities in the slum parts of town were no doubt exhausting." He set his fork down and sat back in his seat, folding his arms across his chest and holding his chin up.

"Oh, you had your pathetic man servant follow me, how typical," Rose said dismissively and popping an apple slice into her mouth.

"You will not behave like that again Rose," Cal said in a stern, low voice. "Its not proper to be in that part of the city with men you don't even know. And leaving the part early like that without notice was rude. Do you understand me?"

She put her fork down and scoffed at him. Who the hell does he think he is talking to me like that? My father? Isn't he supposed to be my fiancé? "I'm not a child, Cal, so stop treating me like one. I'm you fiancé."

She watched anxiously as his eyes became dark and his lips began to quiver. She immediately regretted her decision to talk to him so brashly.

"My fiancé…my fiancé?" He stood up from his chair, knocking it backwards. "Yes you are, and my wife!" He took hold of the small table and swiftly knocked it over in anger, causing all the food and precious china to crash onto the floor. He took one large step towards her and trapped her between his strong arms, hovering over her menacingly. "You're my wife in practice if not yet by law, so you will honor me. You will honor me the way a wife is required to honor a husband. Because I will not be made out a fool, Rose. Is this in anyway unclear?"

Rose looked up at him through vulnerable, frightened eyes filled with tears. She trembled in her chair and awkwardly shook her head. "No."

"Good. Excuse me."

Once he was inside the apartment, she let out a sigh of relief that she had gotten away without a bruise. His temper was usually much worse than that. She was brought back to reality by Trudy walking out onto the balcony and bending down to pick up the china.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Trudy!" She said in a shaking voice as she crouched down on the ground to help her with the mess.

"Its alright hun," Trudy said as she took a broken glass from Rose's hand.

"It was an accident, I swear-"

"Its alright, Rose."

Trudy looked at Rose sympathetically and softly stroked her arm, letting her know that she completely understood. Rose let out a soft sob and collapsed onto the floor, putting her hand to her chest in an attempt to slow her racing heart. She glanced through the glass doors and saw her mother standing with her arms crossed, looking at Rose through disapproving eyes. Ruth shook her head before turning on her heel and walking away.

….

"You don't understand," Jack said as he buttoned his shirt up. "This isn't just some girl I have a crush on. Its much more than that, so much more."

Fabrizio looked at him skeptically and shook his head. "I think you're being stupid, if I'm honest. She's not in our league, she's not used to our kind of lifestyle. It just wouldn't work out, don't waste your time over it."

Jack sighed and finished putting his uniform on. His full time job was serving at a restaurant down the street. It was his rent and food money, and the extra change he got from his drawings was his spending money.

"Maybe I'd agree with you if she didn't seem interested," Jack said, "but she looks at me the same way I look at her. And we bonded last night, and I swear she wanted to kiss me."

Fabrizio let out a small laugh. "She wanted to kiss you? Now I really know you're crazy. Ow!" He yelled when Jack smacked him on the head.

"I'm gonna get that girl," he said matter of factly. "I have a short shift today, so I'm going to get her right after. If I come back rejected, then you have bragging rights," he said as he opened the front door.

….

Jack walked quickly down the streets of New York, watching the scenery change the closer he got to Rose's side of town. He wasn't sure how he was going to do this, or even what he was going to say. Hey Rose, remember me? Yeah, I'm kinda falling in love with you.

He walked through the golden doors of her building with his hands nervously in his pockets. He walked into the elevator along with two other women. He felt their eyes on him, and looked to see them staring disapprovingly at him. Sure, his black work pants had a couple food stains on them and his white button up shirt was a bit wrinkled, but at least he wasn't wearing his torn up jeans and old t-shirt. He chuckled to himself when they turned away from him and clutched their expensive purses to their sides.

Once he was in front of Rose's door, he froze, mid knock. What if she rejected him? What if he was reading all of her signals wrong? What if he was there?

He shook his head to clean his thoughts, took a deep breath, and gave a firm knock on the door. He stepped back and said a silent prayer as the door unlocked, but it wasn't who he was hoping to see.

"What on earth are you doing here?" Ruth said with a sneer and squinted eyes. "Didn't you get enough fun kidnapping my daughter last night?"

Jack chuckled lightly and shifted on his feet. "Well ma'am, I hardly kidnapped her."

"What do you want?" She asked.

"I just need to see Rose," he said with a casual shrug. There was really no other way to put it.

"Absolutely not. Goodbye."

"Wait," he said as he held open the door she was attempting to close. "Please, I just need to speak to Rose for one second, alright?"

"No."

"Please!"

"What is it you want? If I give you money will you leave her alone?" She asked as she reached for her purse.

"What? No! I don't want your money, please-"

He watched as she picked up her cell phone and dialed a single digit and spoke authoritatively into the phone. "Yes, this is Ruth Dewitt Bukater on the tenth floor. I need security immediately. There is a young man here who obviously does not belong here, and I need him removed. Thank you!"

"Whatever lady," he said as he turned away. "I'm leavin', alright?"

"Good," she said with a satisfied smile as she closed to door in his face. He huffed and shoved his hands back into his pockets, walking towards the exact elevator he just came out of. He pushed the button and waited impatiently.

While he was waiting, he heard the door open again, and smiled in spite of himself when he saw that it was Rose rounding the corner.

"Jack," she said as she walked towards him.

"Rose! I was just trying to see you and-"

"Jack, listen. This is impossible, alright? I can't see you." She turned around as quickly as she could and attempted to walk away, but he put his hand gently on her arm and pulled her back.

"Wait, I need to talk to you." He tried to put his hands lovingly in her red curls but she pushed him away and leaned against the wall.

"No Jack. I'm engaged, alright? And this relationship is getting inappropriate. I'm marrying Cal. I love Cal."

He raised an eye brow at her and gave her a soft smile. He knew it wasn't true.

"Rose, you're no picnic, alright? You're a spoiled little rich girl, even. But under that, you're the most amazingly, astounding, wonderful girl, well, woman that I've ever known. And I just need to tell you that I-"

"Jack please-"

"No, just let me try and get this out. You're amazing, and…look, I'm not stupid. I'm living off of measly paychecks, I live in Brooklyn, I'm a wonderer, I have nothing to offer you and nothing that you're accustomed to and I know that. But I'm too involved now. There are too many feelings now. You jump, I jump remember? If you really don't want to see me, then I can't walk away without at least knowing that you'll be alright."

He watched anxiously as her usually vibrant green eyes became dark and tears filled them. She looked away briefly to wipe a tear away.

"Well I'm fine. I'll be fine. Really."

"Really?" He asked skeptically. "No, I don't think so. They've got you trapped Rose. And you're gonna die if you don't break free. Maybe not right away because you're strong," he added the last part quickly as he saw a few more tears fall. He took a step towards her, the closest he had ever been to her, and put his warm hand on her delicate cheek. "But sooner or later that fire that I love about you, Rose, that fire is gonna burn out."

"Its not up to you to save me, Jack," she said, trying to ignore how the very touch of his hand on her was making her knees weak.

"You're right," he said simply. "Only you can do that."

A thick silence fell between them, and he inched closer to her. They were so close that they could both feel the other's breath against their lips. For a split second, Jack thought she was actually going to let him kiss her. Until he felt her hand on his chest pushing him away.

"I'm going back," she said. "Leave me alone."

She broke away from him and ran back down the hallway. He stood, motionless, with one hand still resting on the wall. He sighed in defeat when he heard the door shut. He was in such a trance that he didn't hear the elevator open and someone step out.

"I assume you're who I'm looking for."

Jack turned around to see a large man in a security uniform standing in front of him.

"Yeah yeah, I'm goin' I'm goin'."

xo