Next chapter! I know two in a row! Hope you enjoy, please tell me if you do or don't.

.bradley

The birds sang in the trees above. 'Autumn!' Jack thought to himself as he looked up from his cup of tea to see Rose and Clara together in the garden. He placed his cup down and went to join them. He still hadn't told Rose yet even though he knew that she suspected that something was wrong. He just didn't have the heart to. He wanted to tell her that everything would be okay, that everything was fine but he couldn't. But before Jack could consider his thoughts any longer he was interrupted but the scene of Rose struggling to get up from the grass.

Jack couldn't help but laugh. "Back to this again?" He asked as he came over to her.

Rose smiled. "Seems so. I knew there was a reason why I hated having a baby." She laughed as he tried to help her up.

"How long has it been now?" Jack asked as he finally lifted her up.

Rose brushed the grass and leaves off herself before bending down, with great effort, to pick up Clara. "6 months, seems like 6 years."

Jack laughed but it was cut short by his coughing.

"Jack it seems like you are getting worse. What is wrong?"

"Rose." He said, looking her straight in the eyes. "Not yet. I will tell you soon but not right now."

"When then?" She said. Jack could hear the angrier and frustration in her voice. "You never tell me anything Jack!" She shouted at him. "Yet I have to tell you everything!" A single tear fell down her cheek.

Jack grabbed her in a hug. "Rose I will tell you. I just love you so much and that is my problem. Please don't be mad at me!" He begged. Rose stared into his eyes, his deep blue eyes which held so many secrets from her yet at the same time had made her tell so many.

"I know. I'm sorry, it's just I am worried about you." She was now crying. Every tear was like a knife in Jack's heart. He couldn't bear the fact that he could do nothing about it.

"Rose if you want I will tell you tonight but only if you want?"

Rose looked up at him. She knew that wasn't what he wanted to do but she also knew that what he wanted to do was not tell her at all. "Yes Jack. Please tell me. I just want to help."

"I know." Jack said. "Now go make me some lunch." He laughed. "Please."

She sighed but waddled off towards the kitchen. Jack smiled as he watched his wife and daughter go. He knew that telling her what was wrong was going to be more painful for her then it would be for him. He took out his handkerchief and coughed into it. He sighed when he looked down at it. Blood covered the handkerchief.

"This is not going to be easy." He whispered to himself. He put his handkerchief in his top inside pocket of his jacket, along with all the others he was hiding from her and continued off after Rose.

Rose was busying in the kitchen. She went back and forward, cutting up fruit and placing them in a large orange bowl.

"Fruit salad?" Jack asked as he came up behind her and put his arms around her middle.

"Yes it's good for you and you need something that is good for you." She handed him the bowl. "Now eat." She ordered him. Jack laughed but sat down at the table and did what he was told.

Jack ate but stared up at the clock, ticking back and forth. He dreaded each minute that slowly passed, knowing that every minute he was getting one minute closer to having to tell Rose.

NEW SCENE

Rose sat across from Jack. She was staring at him, waiting for him to talk but the words just didn't seem to be able to form in his mouth.

"Rose." He began. She leaned forward in her chair and grabbed his hand in hers.

"Jack please continue." She begged.

He sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. "Rose I'm sick."

Rose nodded. "I know that. Please Jack what is wrong."

Jack tried to continue. He tried to force his mouth to form the words but he just couldn't. He mumbled a few words under his breath, just loud enough that he could hear what he said but Rose couldn't.

"What Jack? What did you say?" She asked. He stared into her eyes. He knew that soon, if he told her that they would be filled with tears.

Jack said. "Rose I want you to look in my top, inside jacket pocket." Rose looked stunned but slowly moved her hand towards his jacket. She hung her hand in mid air, suddenly unsure whether or not she really wanted to find out. In the end she gave in and slowly removed what was inside.

"Handkerchiefs?" She asked.

"Unfold them."

Rose took the first handkerchief from the pile. It was a dark blue and from what she could see there was nothing weird or wrong with it. She unfolded the handkerchief and gulped when she saw the inside. The inside of the handkerchief was stained with blood. She threw that one aside and took the next one from the pile and checked it too. She quickly through that one aside and reached for the next one. She did this for three more before Jack finally grabbed her hand and stopped her.

"Jack I don't understand." She had tears running down her face, yet her voice was not yet cracked. "Jack!" Her voice finally cracked and she broke down crying.

"Rose. I am so sorry." Jack hugged her and held her tight.

"But Jack what is it? Is it something not bad? Will you get better?" She looked up hopefully at him but he sighed.

"Rose it's consumption. It's very unlikely that I will get better. I have had it for six months now and I am only getting worse." Jack started to cry now. "I will not make it through the winter Rose."

"NO! Jack! NO!" She screamed through her tears. "THAT'S IN THREE MONTHS JACK!" She broke down. "WHY? WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN TO US?" Her cries were full of pain and the pain shook through Jack like a current.

"Rose I am so sorry." He kissed her forehead. "So, so sorry."

She looked up, her eyes full of tears. "I love you!"

"I love you too. How about we make these last months something to remember?" He tired to smile but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"But you might get better. You might make it. Nothing says that you won't."

Jack sighed. "Maybe, Rose. Maybe." He continued to hug her tightly all through the night.

Please send all hate mail to the below address...lol. Sorry but I just knew that this is where I was eventually going to take this story. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, no matter how sad it is. And please keep reading there is still more surprises to come.

.bradley