DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the characters from ADJL. They belong to Disney. I do however own Rose and Jake's adopted daughter, Emily, along with the angel Joy and anyone else you don't recognize. If anyone would like to use any of these OC's, please ask my permission first.
Thanks!

God loves you
Enjoy!

"One Rose, Too Many Thorns"

Chapter 13-Sometimes Miracles Hide

Haley stood at the entrance to the cemetery, unsure of herself. She knew what she had to do, but she wasn't sure if she could go through with it.

Rose sensed her little sister's hesitation and gave her a comforting hug.

"You can do this, sweetie. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. Come on; let's pray before we go in."

Haley nodded and sighed with relief. She didn't trust herself to speak, fearing she would burst into tears. She had thought she was ready, but now that she was actually here, she felt differently.

Both girls knelt to their knees and Rose took Haley's hand in hers. SHE squeezed it reassuringly as they closed their eyes.

Rose knew Haley was in no position to speak, so she did it for the both of them.

"Father, I just want to thank you for this day and for your amazing love. I ask that you would be with Haley during this difficult time. Help her to get through this day and to be strong. Help her to find comfort in your arms and seek shelter with you. Help her to know that it's okay to be upset, but also let her know that you can take that pain away. I ask that you help her to use you as her ultimate hiding place. I ask that you help her find the strength to say goodbye to Julie and know that Julie still loves her. I ask these things in your precious name, Amen."

Haley gave Rose a half smile of gratitude as she struggled to her feet.

"Thanks," Haley said, the first words she had spoken all morning.

"No problem." Rose replied, giving Haley a hug.

Haley took a deep breath as she made the first steps towards closure. She held tightly to Rose's hand as her sister lead her into the cemetery and over to Julie's grave.

At first glance, Haley closed her eyes, trying to block the image out of her mind. But as she did so, a warm breeze swept over her, giving her the strength to look down.

Haley knelt down and traced the pattern on the grave. She placed the flowers down and sat like that for ten minutes without moving.

Rose let her be. She knew Haley needed time. She stayed by her, but she gave her some space at the same time.

It was only when Rose heard Haley let out a shuddering sob, did she go to her side. She pulled her into a hug and encouraged her to cry it out.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, sweetie. It's all right. It's all right. Just cry it out, sweetheart. It's okay. It's okay to miss her. It really is. You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay. I promise."

Haley let out a sob and let Rose comfort her. She gazed back at the grave and then up into the sky. She felt the same warm breeze sweep over her. She felt a little bit better, but she was still upset.

Rose and Haley stayed at Julie's grave for the next hour.

After Haley had calmed down, she started talking to Julie. She told her how sorry she was about what had happened. She told her she missed her and loved her. She told her how scared she was to go on without her.

As Haley talked, she felt like a weight was being lifted from her shoulders.

By the time she was done, Haley felt tired, but at the same time, she knew everything was going to be okay. Haley knew Julie was looking out for her and she wouldn't let her go astray.

As Rose and Haley walked home, ten minutes later, Haley gave Rose a grateful smile.

"Thanks Rose. Thanks for being here for me."

"Aw, no thanks needed, honey. I love you. I would do anything for you."

Haley nodded. SHE suddenly grinned and gave Rose a hopeful look.

"Can we go get ice cream, please?"

"Sure we can." Rose replied, happy to see Haley was feeling better. She knew Haley still had a little ways to go, but from where Rose was standing, Haley had reached the light at the end of the tunnel.

When Rose and Haley returned home, Rose tucked Haley in bed and went to make lunch for herself. She was hungry and she knew the baby wanted something more than ice cream.

As Rose was putting the finishing touches on the sandwich, the phone rang.

"Hello? Long residence." Rose said, not sure who was on the other end.

"Rose? This is Susan Larkin at Hope for the Children Medical Center. I-I'm afraid I have some bad news concerning your baby."

Rose listened intently to what Susan said, but a part of her wasn't listening. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, but at the same time, she knew Susan wouldn't lie.

After Susan had hung up, Rose just held the phone in her hand, unsure of what to do. She just stared at the phone as if it had betrayed her. She wasn't even aware when Jake came up behind her and pulled her close. All she could think about was the joy she had felt about having another daughter, another baby girl and now how that joy had been turned to fear and uncertainty in the space of one afternoon.

"Who was that?" Jake asked, oblivious to Rose's mood change.

"Susan." Rose said, before she could stop herself.

"What did she say?" Jake asked. "Is she okay? Is our girl all right?"

Rose shook her head.

"What do you mean?" Jake asked, becoming somewhat panicked himself.

Rose just shook her head and took a shuddering breath. She was still trying to get over the news herself. She couldn't imagine speaking the four words aloud just yet. She needed time to process it on her own first.

"Rose? Rose, what is it?" Jake asked, wanting to get some sort of reaction from his girlfriend.

Still, Rose didn't say a word. She was shocked and just too overcome by what Susan had told her.

As Rose stood there, she felt the sudden need to leave the house. She had to get out and clear her head before she explained anything to Jake. She knew exactly who she needed to talk to. Well, there were two people, but the one she really needed right now, she prayed was there. She just had to get to her and then things would be okay. They had to be.

Rose pushed away from Jake and fled the house. She didn't turn back, not even when she heard Jake calling her name. She had to do this. If she didn't, she would never be able to explain anything to Jake.

Rose ran all the way to the center and stopped to catch her breath. She had never run two miles in her whole entire life and it had tired her out. She guessed her adrenalin gave her the push she needed.

Rose knocked on the door and tried to compose herself, just in case the person she so desperately needed didn't answer the door. She didn't want to scare Wendy or any of the other kids.

Sure enough, Wendy was the one to answer the door. She asked who it was and Rose told her.

Once the door was open, Wendy invited Rose in and gave her a hug. She really liked her and thought of her as an auntly figure. She knew Katie and Rose were really good friends.

Wendy gave Rose a worried look, knowing instantly that something was wrong. It was a talent of hers and she had perfected it well. She used it to her advantage and helped anyone she could.

"Rose, are you okay?" Wendy asked, her eyes telling Rose she knew something was wrong.

Rose nodded, but Wendy wasn't fooled.

"Do you want me to get Katie?" Wendy offered, leading Rose into the dining room and offering her a glass of lemonade.

"That would be great, thanks, sweetie. And thanks for the lemonade too. Did you make it?"

Wendy nodded and beamed with pride.

"I sure did."

Rose grinned, despite her mood. She had grown fond of Wendy these past few months and she knew the little girl was going to do great things for the Father.

"I'll go get Katie." Wendy said, heading for the door. As she reached the hallway, she came back and gave Rose a hug. "It's gonna be okay." With that, she was gone.

Rose nodded, trying to take comfort in Wendy's words of faith and reassurance. If only she had the same faith Wendy possessed. Rose did have it, but she was finding it hard to use it right now.

"Rose?" A familiar and kind voice broke Rose out of her thoughts. "Wendy said you were here. She also said you looked upset. Is there anything I can do? What happened, honey?"

Rose glanced up to meet her mentor and best friend's kind brown eyes. As she gazed into them, the dam finally broke.

"Oh Rose! Honey, come here. Whatever it is, it's gonna be okay. I promise. It's gonna be okay." With that, Katie took Rose into her arms and gave her a much needed hug.

Rose cried into Katie's shoulder for a half an hour before she was finally able to explain what was going on.

"Susan called and she…she told me that…" Rose's voice trailed off as she let out a shuddering sob. "…She told me that…she said that some tests came back and something's wrong! She told me that…she said that the baby might be born blind! She said that there was nothing they could do!"

"Rose, I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. " Katie said, giving Rose another hug. "But you know what? I don't know if this will help, but there's a bright side to this. Hmmm?" Katie gave Rose a gentle smile that Rose knew only too well.

"There's more. " Rose told her, her breath caught in her throat. "She said I had a choice. She told me that I had till next week to tell her what Jake and I have decided."

"A choice?" Katie asked, not sure she understood what Rose was getting at.

Rose nodded, another sob escaped her lips.

"Susan told me that if I didn't want the baby, I could always…I could…" Rose's sentence hung unfinished due to her not being able to speak the words. She knew Susan hadn't meant to offend her when she had suggested it. Susan didn't' deal with Christian people on a daily basis, so she wasn't used to someone loving their child so much, despite a problem. She was used to people abandoning them for that very reason.

"Oh honey!" Katie said, pulling Rose into her arms. "I'm sorry."

"I can't do that to her! I can't! I love her too much! I can't just get rid of her like that. She's not an object. She's a gift! She's a gift that I love more than anything else! I can't just get rid of her! I won't! I refuse to do that to her!"

"Shh, shh, hush now. It's okay. I know, sweetie, I know. You're doin' the right thing, you know. You are. You're doin' exactly what God wants you to do. There's a lesson in this for you and Jake. I think you know what that is, but Jake needs to learn. I think you're the perfect person to teach him."

"I'm scared!" Rose admitted, burying her face in Katie's shoulder. "I mean what if I can't raise her? What if something else goes wrong? What if…" Her voice trailed off as tears spilled from her ocean blue eyes once again.

"I know you are," Katie soothed. "I know, honey. And that's okay. It's okay to be afraid. It is. But you also need to trust that God knows what He's doing. You're going to be fine and so will the baby. I know it. I know it's not easy to give it all over to the Father, but that's what you need to do. God knows what's going on, even when we don't. His plan will work out. I know it will."

Rose nodded and tried to calm down. She was fairly calm now, but she still had a little ways to go.

"Did you tell Jake?" Katie asked, making calming circles on Rose's back.

Rose shook her head.

"Not yet. I was so shocked and afraid, I just ran for it. I ran to the only place I could get help. I ran to the one place I knew I would be safe."

Katie grinned as she gave Rose a hug. She knew exactly what Rose was getting at.

"And you can always come back to where you belong, don't ever forget that. I tell Wendy that all the time when she's afraid and unsure. I'm here for both of you."

Rose nodded.

"Wendy's a sweetheart." She said, trying to change the subject.

Katie was faster though.

"Yup. She is that. But you're not getting away with that one so easily, missy. You need to tell Jake. TONIGHT."

Rose nodded, knowing the tone in Katie's voice. It wasn't stern, but it suggested finality.

"Okay."

Katie nodded and patted Rose's shoulder.

"That's my girl. All right, why don't you join us for dinner and then you can head back."

Rose grinned, despite the few tears that were still in her eyes. She didn't know what she would do without Katie.

"It's Wendy's turn to set the table. I'm sure she'll let you help her."

Rose agreed and went to find the girl in question.

"Are you feeling better?" Wendy asked, upon seeing Rose in the kitchen doorway.

Rose gave Wendy a half smile.

"A little bit. Katie helped me see things in a different light. I'm still a little scared, but I think things are gonna be okay."

Wendy grinned as she threw her arms around Rose's waist.

"I'm glad. I knew Katie would help you. She always helps me whenever I'm sad or afraid. She's the best."

Rose smiled as she hugged the nine year old back.

"I'll agree with you there. Now, how about some help setting the table."

"Okay! Thanks." Wendy beamed as she and Rose went about their task. She enjoyed letting Rose help her and the two had a chat about everything but what was bothering Rose.

After the table was set and the food was served, Wendy said the prayer. She grabbed Rose's hand and squeezed it reassuringly as she did so.

"Father, thank you for this food. I ask that you bless it, along with the hands that prepared it. I also ask that you bless Rose and help her to not be so scared. Help her to feel your comfort and know that you'll be with her through this scary time. And please, let the baby be as healthy as she should be. Please let Rose love her as you love all of us. We are all perfect in your eyes and I pray that Rose will love the baby for the miracle and the gift that she is. I also ask for a blessing for Katie that she doesn't' go crazy planning the trip to the fair tomorrow."

Giggles erupted from Katie and a girl named Rebecca upon hearing that.

"I pray all these things in your precious name, Amen." With that, Wendy lifted her head and flashed a grin at Rose, who grinned back, despite the tears of love and gratitude for Wendy that were now streaming down her face.

The dinner ended an hour later, and Rose was back home before she knew it. She thanked Katie and Wendy for their help and promised them she would bring the baby over the day after she was born. Little did Rose know Katie and Wendy would be seeing the baby sooner than that…