A/N: Thanks to OMGSS, Gracii and AC for your review(s)!

"You may go out into the garden for a while."

Fabrizio looked at him bewildered. The past days Cal hadn't said much, only brought him food.

"Ruth is visiting a friend," Cal explained clearly relieved about that fact. "And I thought you'd like to get some fresh air."

Of course he wanted to, but frankly he never quite understood Cal. His attitude seemed to change every minute. He had a passionate hating for Jack, but despite this he could really be nice and pleasant, if he wanted to.

"Thanks," Fabrizio mumbled.

He hadn't been out in weeks and really longed for it. Looking out of the window certainly didn't compare to really being outside.

"When shall I be back?" he asked.

"Ruth is shopping, she won't be returning soon. However, I don't know when," Cal told him.

Fabrizio only nodded, grabbing his coat and making his way out the room. Cal followed him on spot, causing Fabrizio to raise his eyebrows in anticipation.

Of course he wouldn't leave him alone for a second.

Does he think that I'm trying to escape?

Sometimes he got the feeling that Cal actually believed him to be a friend or that at least someone he could tell his problems…and that he in fact trusted him. Surely Cal wouldn't have many people around him, who were truly honest to him.

Maybe that's why he's envying my relation with Jack.

Through the time he had spent here, Cal had quite clearly leaked out that he detested how his colleagues and especially employees weren't telling him the truth. Knowing Cal's temper, Fabrizio could understand them. They simply didn't want to lose their job.

To Cal however, this didn't seem to be that obvious.

Fabrizio drew his coat closer.

Outside was the typical April weather, warm, rainy and windy.

While Fabrizio took a long breath happy to be in a garden again, Cal immediately lighted a cigarette.

I wonder how much of these he's smoking in a day – Fabrizio asked himself inspecting the area sitting down on a stoned-benched under an apple tree.

"That's where I asked her to marry me," Cal choked out.

Without asking Fabrizio knew that he was talking about Rose.

"You should've seen her, she was so nervous and so…beautiful," he added his voice being barely able to hear by the time he had ended his sentence. Cal was more speaking to himself, trying to regain a past that was lost forever.

Cal was even smiling, laughing slightly.

"I remember she had been wearing a yellow dressed perfectly fitting her red hair and a bracelet…"

"I had of course spoken beforehand to her mother to get her permission. Rose knew what was expected of her. She didn't yes immediately though…she understood that a real lady wouldn't through oneself at somebody," he stopped there taking a deep blow from his cigarette.

The minutes were tickling away.

"At least that's what I thought," he added balling his fists.

Fabrizio once more wondered what Cal expected him to do.

He wouldn't really want me to agree to his methods?

Although trying to push it away Fabrizio understood that was in fact Cal's intention.

"Your friend turned her into a whore," he ranted.

Fabrizio knew better than to protest. He wanted to be alone, but it didn't look like Cal would leave him anytime soon.

He clearly didn't like not to be informed about anything and anyone around him.

"Rose was such a lovely girl. I really never thought that...," his voice was a mixture of hurt and sadness.

Did he really think that Rose would've liked this life with him? That she wanted to be dressed like a porcelain-doll, with no free will?

Fabrizio smiled inwardly and scolded himself for even raising these stupid questions in his head.

"How do you like the garden?" Cal suddenly changed the topic, when he realized that it was probably better to talk about something less…complicated.

Before Fabrizio got a chance to answer Cal spoke up again: "I think Rose's grandfather planted the trees. I was told he had been quite a passionate gardener."

Hell, he really likes to hear his own voice.

"Even rich people need some time for themselves…for their hobbies," he said.

"Sure," Fabrizio mumbled.

I wish you would follow your own advice.

"By the way have you thought about my offer? You know I really wouldn't want to see you pay for his faults. You seem to be quite amendable," Cal told him his mouth forming into a sneaky smile once more.

Fabrizio opened his mouth in protest, but Cal instantly stopped him by waving up his hand.

"No, please, before you say something you're going to regret later on…I understand that you and he share a special bond."

"Jack's like a brother to me," Fabrizio interjected.

"Well whatever…I only want to say that you shouldn't throw your life away. Dawson got himself into this mess, but you've to realize that I've nothing against you. It's him I want to suffer."

Now that was the typical Cal again.

"I won't be opposing Jack," Fabrizio firmly stated. "You can't drive a wedge between us."

Cal only laughed lightning another cigarette.

"You know what, Fabrizio, I've been in business long enough to know that everyone has its price…you as well. I always get what I want."

I always win, Jack.

Jack had told him the story. As if being together with Rose was like winning a price.

"Did you ever consider that maybe it was your fault that she turned to Jack. That you were the one, who did something wrong?"

"Of course I did something wrong. I let her run wild."

Fabrizio shook his head.

"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it," he added standing up to be face to face with Cal now, almost spitting out the words towards him.

Cal clearly had trouble to hold himself back.

"You lost Rose, because you insulted her and didn't treat her right. Rose herself understood this. In time you would've seen that meeting Jack wasn't even necessary. You would've split up anyway. You simply didn't fit together."

Cal laughed again, holding his stomach.

"Ha, ha…you're really funny, Fabrizio. Now I see what Dawson found in you."

"I'm not joking," Fabrizio angrily told him.

"Oh of course…you're not…of course you're not…ha ha ha…"

Since Cal was laughing and Fabrizio protesting they didn't hear Ruth approaching them from behind.

"Mr. Hockley, who is this?"

Cal dropped his cigarette and almost fell, when perceiving the sound of her voice.

"Would you care to tell me what you are doing here? And who are you?" Ruth spat out at Fabrizio.

Cal was immediately silent, nervously biting his lips to think of a good excuse.

"I thought I told you that I don't like you hiring people without asking me first."

Without knowing it, Ruth had helped him finding one.

"Oh, Ruth, I apologize for not consulting you first, but you see, I had no idea that it would be important to you to be asked about my new dressmaker," Cal told her.

Fabrizio's eyes grew wide. He didn't know anything about dressmaking.

What if Ruth wanted to see some of his work?

Cal however, seemed to be pleased with his fantastic plan.

Ruth looked Fabrizio up and down like she had done with Jack on the Titanic.

"So your dressmaker…," her voice indicated to both that she didn't believe a word. "And what you were laughing about?"

Cal swallowed.

"Mr. Hockley? Would you be so kind to tell me what this is all about?"

"Yes, tell her, Mr. Hockley, tell her what you said about her daughter," Fabrizio spoke up, before Cal got a chance to earning a cold stare from the latter one.

But he knew that the words couldn't be taken back now.

"My daughter? What does he…," she pointed at Fabrizio "…have to do with Rose?" her voice was now more sad than angry.

Unlike Cal she was clearly miserable over her death and really grieving, not only pretending.

So far Fabrizio couldn't make out anything that showed him that Cal and Ruth had actually anything in common despite their status in society. In fact Ruth seemed to detest Cal. She certainly wasn't happy that he was calling her by her first name.

That was indeed not very gentlemanlike and Fabrizio didn't think that Ruth had actually ever allowed Cal to call her by her first name.

On the other hand Fabrizio wondered if there was anyone on earth, who could ever make it up to her. Cal and Jack without doubt didn't, out of various reasons.

"What does your dressmaker have to do with my daughter?" she repeated her voice shrill.

Cal's eyes slightly turned away and his mouth formed into an – oh, shut up – kind of state.

Both Fabrizio and Ruth watched him closely awaiting an answer, while thought himself to be innocently attacked.

"I simply told him about her death," Cal choked out thinking that at first that this would stop her suspicion, but her rage only grew.

"You told a complete stranger about something as personal as my daughter's death?"

Though she didn't say it an – Are you totally mad? – hung up into the air.

"I didn't know that it would be a problem for you," Cal got out sounding like a schoolboy bending down his head.

Is he afraid of her?

"Really I…I thought you knew that I'm missing her as well. I simply needed someone I could tell…I'm sorry, if I did something wrong," Cal was desperate probably not knowing himself, if he was being honest or not. "I had no intention to hurt your feelings. I'm deeply sorry, if I did."

Even Fabrizio was astonished and wondering.

Ruth stared at Cal dumbfound, neither with her face nor with words displaying what she was really thinking.

"She was my fiancée, Ruth. Don't I have a right to mourn for her?"

Fabrizio turned his head over to her, but Ruth was a master at hiding her emotions and her expression didn't show anything.

Her mind was unreadable.

You tell me that you are grieving for my daughter, while your little whore is practically living here? Are you really thinking me to be that stupid and credulously?

"I understand," she simply said all of them understanding that there was something else behind it, which she wasn't telling them. "Now gentlemen, if you excuse me…"

Both bowed their heads.

"Sure, Ruth," Cal spoke up about to grab her hand to kiss it, but she quickly draw it away.

Cal received another cold stare, one of those only Ruth Dewitt Bukater seemed to be able to give.

"It's getting late," she announced "I'm going to take a nap," realizing somehow that she wouldn't get a straight answer.

When she was out of eavesdropping Cal angrily grabbed Fabrizio, shoving him against a tree.

"Never do that again! Do you hear me?" he hissed. "I've tried months to get her where I want her to be and I won't let you destroy everything," he warned him.

Her – was he speaking of Ruth or Rose now?

It certainly hadn't looked like Ruth was very fond of him either. And Rose…now…well…her taking up with Jack had shown to anyone what she really thought of Cal and their relationship.

"What do you want? Did you really believe you could avoid her seeing me forever?" Fabrizio just as furiously shot back. "You can't be angry with me while she's the one, who doesn't believe you."

Cal was even more fuming now knowing that Fabrizio was right.

"I wouldn't say anything else, if you don't want your friend to…"

"I don't think that Jack is your main problem at the moment," Fabrizio interrupted him not being impressed at all.

Cal turned slightly away balling his fists into the apple tree, as if trying to draw a hole in it.

"I think we should return inside again. Ruth is right, it's getting late," he got out in the end wanting to end the discussion.

Cal didn't seem to like discussing anything. His word had to be law to anyone.

Silently Fabrizio followed him inside again, both of them seeing Ruth sitting in the living room.

When she saw them approaching, she simply dropped her needlework she was working on and got up without a further word.

Cal gulped nervously.