Rose sat in the corner of her office, watching Kyle work away. She had brought Nicholas and Kyle back to the Huntsclan, per their request. Kyle had immediately started reaching out to the other branches, attempting to assess the extent of the damage she had caused on a global scale. Nicholas had begun to review her paperwork and the e-mails, letters, and other means of communication that had flooded in that specifically surrounded the New York Branch, assessing the damage she had done on a local scale.

She wondered if she should try to talk to Nicholas. She hadn't seen him until she had locked him in the secret dungeon, abandoning him to die. How Kyle had managed to find him … She still hadn't been able to make herself ask. All she knew is that Nicholas hadn't even glanced in her direction – not that she blamed him – and she wasn't sure how she would even begin to approach him. He'd been silenced, likely permanently, by her actions.

She was torn from her musings by her cell phone, which was vibrating violently in her pocket. She pulled the device out and stared surprised at it: Jake was calling it. She hit answer and held it up to her ear.

"Where the hell are you!?"

"I'm at the Huntsquarters," Rose answered, shocked by the intensity of his question.

"I went the hospital and you weren't there and what the fuck are you doing at the Clan right now?"

"I-," Rose stuttered, feelings of elation spreading through her. It was two a.m. and Jake was looking for her and it seemed like such a good sign. "I went to find Nicholas and Kyle and then I brought them back here. They're with me, Jake. I haven't done anything, I promise."

"Like your promises mean anything," Jake snorted bitterly. "Let me talk to Kyle."

"Okay."

She shifted the phone in her hand and held it out to Kyle.

He picked it up and answered with a, "Hello?"

Every nerve taunt, wondering what Jake wanted; Rose drank in Kyle's side of the conversation. She strained her ears, trying to hear Jake's as well, but the painkillers that she had been given in the hospital were affecting her still.

"No, I completely understand … Now? You sure it's a – No, I'm not trying …" Kyle paused and rolled his eyes at Nicholas, who could only shrug in return. "If that's what you think is … Yes, please, let me talk to Fu." There was a moment of silence as they all waited for the line, on Jake's end, to be exchanged. "I'd say a 'little worked up' is an understatement at this point … Yeah, I got that part. I wanted to know the why, though … Oh … I see … That makes a lot more sense than what he was trying to tell me … I get it, Fu … Half an hour? Works for us … Yup, see you. Bye."

Kyle hung up the cell phone and handed it back to Rose. Without saying a word to her, he opened the wardrobe that was tucked into the corner of the office. He pulled one of the long black cloaks off the hanger and threw it at her. Rose caught it easily and looked down at the rich fabric splayed across her lap.

"Put it on. I don't want anyone recognizing you and deciding to attack. That wouldn't end well for anyone, especially at this point."

Rose nodded and stood gracefully from her seated position. She whipped the cloak around her shoulders and did up the golden clasp at her throat. She then drew the hood over her head so that her features would be completely obscured. Inside the cloak, she used her hands to grip the front of it together, giving away nothing.

She felt like a reaper.

"We're going over to Jake's," Kyle explained quietly as the trio let themselves out of the office. "Fu and he have something that they would like to talk to you about, Rose. I'll let them explain it."

They left the Huntsquarters, unobstructed. It was late and no one was really prowling around, except for the odd night watchmen, who never noticed them.

Once on the street, Kyle flagged down a wandering cab. In just a few minutes, they were at Jake's. They climbed the stairs and piled into the living room. Rose was put at the end of the couch with Kyle in the middle between her and Nicholas. Fu was in one arm chair and Jake was in the other.

"We know it's late and we thank you for coming over," Fu began cordially, though he was cut off by a red-faced Jake.

"Leaving the hospital? What the hell, Rose?"

"I needed to find Nicholas and Kyle. I didn't see any point in staying there. They couldn't do anything more for me."

"You went through full abdominal surgery. Shouldn't you be resting?" Fu asked.

Rose shrugged. "It hasn't bothered me so far. If anything were to happen, I can simply return."

"No point in arguing with her," Kyle sighed.

"Why have you called us over so early … or late … you know what I mean."

"We have brewed a truth potion," Fu revealed. "We would like you to take it and then we would like to discuss matters with you."

"Yes, of course, anything," Rose promised. If she could get Jake to believe her, to trust her even a little again, she would do anything. "Will the potion wear off?"

"Yes. A half cup is equal to an hour's worth of time, roughly. If you wanted to talk now – which we do – we'd give you about a cup and then go from there."

Rose agreed. Jake went to the stove and poured a cup of a clear liquid: the truth potion. He handed her the mug and she took it without so much as touching his fingers. She whispered a word of thanks and then lifted the mug to her lips. It burnt going down and she couldn't decide if she liked the taste. It was soft and gentle, reminding her of lavender and sea salt. But the liquid itself seemed to sear her inside and she just couldn't decide if the burning sensation was worth it.

"Ask me anything," she encouraged.

And they did. Jake, who had heard her story before, didn't say much. Fu, who had gotten a few second hand words from Jake, asked hundreds of questions. The little grey dog grilled her on everything that he could think of in the two hours that the truth was forced to cross her lips. Rose, though, didn't feel any different telling the story this time than she had when she had told it to Jake. The potion wasn't tugging at her brain, forcing her to change her words, because she had told it right the first time.

` Two hours later, it was just after four in the morning and she was so tired she thought she was going to die.

"You're welcome to sleep here, if you like," Fu offered.

"That would be great," Kyle accepted before Rose could speak. "Though we don't want to impose."

"No imposition," Fu brushed off. "The couch pulls out, if you and Nicholas would like to share that. Rose, I would feel most comfortable if you were in Jake's room, just to he can keep an ear out for you."

"Of course," Rose agreed.

She wanted to glance at Jake, but she didn't. What did he think of having her so close? Even sitting halfway across the room, she could feel rolls of hatred and bitterness coming off him. She didn't want to push him but she also hated the fact that he was so angry, hurt, and betrayed and that she couldn't change it because she had caused it.

Jake picked up Fu and carried the still-casted dog into his room. After settling Fu in for the night, he returned to the living room.

"There are extra blankets and pillows in the hall closet," he told Nicholas and Kyle. "I think that there are sheets already on the bed."

"Thanks, Jake."

Without so much as glancing at Rose, Jake gestured with his head down the hall and turned around. Rose padded after him, turning into the familiar room. She stayed in the doorway as Jake dropped onto his desk chair.

"Come here," he commanded silently and she walked toward him.

He held something in his hands and, as Rose grew nearer to him, she could see that it was a cup. Inside of it was more of the truth potion. He offered it to her when she was within reaching distance and she took it, swallowing it before he could even ask her to.

"Did you sleep with him?"

For a brief moment, she wanted to lie. She wanted to lie simply because it would be so much easier for him to bear if she said 'no'. But even if she hadn't taken the potion (which was dragging at her mouth, forcing the truth to her lips) she wouldn't have lied to him. He deserved the truth and she could, at the very least, offer him that now.

"Yes."

His pale lips tightened into a thin line and he closed his eyes.

"Jake, it was, like everything else, something that I felt I had to do at the time. It was what he expected of me and I thought I had to do what he wanted. He had me thinking that my purpose in life was to be what he wanted and –"

"Enough!" Jake shrieked. "I've had enough. You are your own person. You're a stubborn, strong-willed person who wouldn't let anyone control her like that. I don't understand how he got to you."

"It was hell. He seemed to know whenever I thought about you in a positive light. He seemed to know when I was trying to hang on. It was all electrocution and pain. It twisted me, Jake. It made me connect you to pain and that's how he made me believe that I had to get rid of you."

"But why?" Jake demanded, standing up and getting into her face, attempting to intimidate her. "Why did you allow yourself to get into that mess? Why weren't you strong enough to hang on?"

He was gripping her forearms now, shaking her, and Rose just couldn't fight him. She knew he was angry; she knew she deserved it. Still, tears streamed down her face as she shouted, "I don't know! I'm so sorry!"

"Why?" Jake whispered into her ear, pulling her close. Rose revelled in the feeling of being so close to him; of being surrounded in his heat and being able to feel his heartbeat. "Why didn't you love me enough?"

"I do!" Rose argued, moving her hands so that she was clinging to his shoulders. "I do, Jake. I love you more than anything."

Taking a chance, she kissed him. She pressed their lips together and, for a moment, she felt him relax into her. It was like taking a step backward in time; back before her kidnapping, to when she first kissed him and all that was between them was love. His hands slipped from her forearms down to her waist, sucking her into him. She deepened the kiss between them, bringing her arms around his neck, hugging him.

And then he pushed her away.

"We can't do this," he growled. "We … just … no."

He pulled his black comforter off the bed and threw a pillow down to the floor.

"You take the bed," he said as he lay down and turned his back on her.

Shaking, Rose lay gently down into his bed. She lay on her back, due to her surgery, and stared up at the white ceiling. All she could think about was the boy, not two feet away from her. The boy, who she was in love with, who would probably never look at her again; not that she blamed him at all.

"Jake," she whispered, knowing that he wasn't sleeping; that he was listening. "I love you."

And Jake began to cry, because he knew that she couldn't be lying.