Rose had left her purse in Jack's car when he drove her home that afternoon. She had been so preoccupied, enjoying his presence and relishing how her hand fitted so perfectly into his, when it was time to leave, she didn't even notice that she had left her purse in the backseat until it came time to retrieve a pen to do her homework.

She felt so embarrassed. What will he think of her? She was about to call, but paused with her hand still on the receiver. This was a chance to see him again that day. To maybe even spend a few more hours with him, cuddling and kissing and just being Jack and Rose. She couldn't stop the smile on her face if she wanted to. Lucky for her, she had left her own car keys on her bedroom dresser. Grabbing them, she ran down the stairs and out the door, calling to her dad to let him know where she was going.

Five minutes later, she was parking her car in an empty space across from Jack's house. She resisted the urge to run or skip to the door. She forced herself to remain calm and walk like a sane person to the door. Looking forward to seeing him again, she ringed the bell. As she waited, she looked around the neighborhood. The street was nearly deserted. There were kids playing on the sidewalks and in the streets, making sure to look for on coming traffic. There were old ladies in their gardens and men working on their cars. It was nowhere near the neighborhood she lived in on the rich side of town, neither was it as run down as the other, lower income neighborhoods. Rose would said that it was about middle class.

"What do you want?"

Rose's heart sank when the door opened to reveal Julie, looking at her as if she was some kind of bug. Her blond hair was down, flowing down her back and she wore a gray UCLA sweat shirt and gray sweats to match. Her sock covered feet had no shoes. In her hand was a pint of Ben and Jerry's cherry Garcia ice cream. The break up food of the gods.

"Um, is Jack here? I left my purse in his car and...I thought I'd save him the trouble and come get it myself..."

"Jack is at Tommy's. Who knows when he'll return. You can wait for him if you want," Julie grimaced, not really wanting to invite Rose in, but knowing that Jack would be livid if she didn't.

Rose was tempted to just turn around and go home. It was obvious that Julie didn't like her and to be honest, she didn't really care too much for Julie. She was through trying to be something she wasn't or reach over backwards trying to get people to like her. Jack liked her just fine and that was all that mattered. Not to mention, she was in no mood for Julie's dirty looks towards her, pissed off that she had the audacity to date her cousin. But she really wanted to see her boyfriend and if she had to endure Julie, she would. Jack was worth it.

"Well are you coming in or not? I guess you can always wait in that fancy car of yours if our house isn't good enough for you," Julie rolled her eyes.

Rose felt herself bristle at Julie's words. She was really getting sick of Julie's assumptions that she had something against being from a lower income. She had thought that she had proved enough that money did not matter to her. Obviously not. "You know what. Just to piss you off, I think I will wait inside for Jack. He can't be gone for long."

Julie arched a brow, surprised by Rose's angry words. "Oooh, she has claws after all. Whatever happened to that refined upbringing?"

"Oh it's still there. I'm just not going to be bullied, Julie. You may have been able to scare off any girl interested in Jack, but you're not going to scare me off. Can I come in?"

Julie arched a brow, not able to believe this girl's nerve. When she had met Rose, she was like a scared little flower that she was sure would wilt under pressure. Instead, she was finding that Rose was not all that she seemed.

"Fine. Come in," Julie stepped to the side, allowing Rose entrance. "But don't get too comfortable. Jack will be back soon."

Rose looked around the living room. She's been there once before, but never without Jack. It still had a friendly, cozy atmosphere, despite the negative vibes coming from Julie, who just plopped down onto the couch, looking at the television screen as she began to tuck into her ice cream.

"Ben and Jerrys huh?" Rose asked, deciding to make conversation while she waited, or at least attempt to. "Cherry Garcia?"

"Yes. You got a problem with that?" Julie turned her attention to her cousin's guest.

"No. Just asking. I like Chunky Monkey myself."

"Whatever," Julie shrugged, not caring what flavor of ice cream Rose liked.

"I'm sorry about Tommy, by the way."

"Sure," Julie answered, keeping it short. She really didn't want company, she definitely didn't want Rose there, and she most definitely did not want to talk about her now ex-boyfriend.

"Were you two together for long?" Rose continued to ask, not sure why she was going into this. Julie probably wanted to talk about Tommy just as much as Rose wanted to talk about Cal.

"Were you together with Hockley for long?" Julie glared, making her point.

"No. Not really," Rose turned away, dropping the subject.

Julie kept glaring. She couldn't believe that this high society dame was insisting on this farce with her cousin. In Julie's eyes, Rose was no different than the girl that her cousin had first gotten himself involved with back in Chippewa Falls, before he had moved to California. If only there was a way to get Rose's real angle. To prove to Jack that this girl was no good! Sure he'd be hurt for what? A week? But it'd be better than the years of heartbreak and distrust he had suffered. Jack had just gotten over Megan for good and Julie would be damned if she let him fall into the same trap twice.

"Tell me, Rose Dewitt Bukater. What is it that you really want from my cousin and you better tell me the truth if you know what's good for you," Julie turned off the TV, giving her full attention to the coming conversation.

Rose frowned, confused. She hadn't expected Julie to start a conversation, especially not a conversation about Jack. And what did she mean what did she want from him? "I don't want anything from him except his friendship and affection. What else could I want from him? You're acting like I'm using him for something."

"Well aren't you?"

Rose's frown deepened from both confusion and hurt. "No! I'd never use Jack! I care about him! I only want what's best for him! Where is this coming from Julie? As far as I can tell, I've never given an impression that I was using Jack for some nefarious reason!"

"And that's what makes you dangerous Rose. He won't see it, not until it's too late. Then you'll lower the boom and he's again left with a broken heart that will take years to heal! Just like...ugh!"

"Just like what? What are you going on about?"

"I guess Jack never told you about Megan, huh?" Julie frowned, now wondering if this really was a good idea. Jack may kill her for cluing in Rose about his ex. But she had to find out Rose's intentions. She couldn't let Jack continue flying blind where this girl was concerned.

"No. He hasn't. Who is Megan?" And who was she to Jack? Was she the reason why Julie was so hateful towards her?

"Megan was Jack's girlfriend in Chippewa Falls. Well ex-girlfriend anyway. They dated when he lived there, up until a week before he came here to live. Like you, she was beautiful and rich and Jack was crazy about her."

Rose swallowed, feeling sick as a new feeling rose up into her chest. A hot feeling that made her heart ache. Jealousy. She pushed it back down, reminding herself that it didn't matter who this Megan was. Jack was with her now.

"What did she do to him? Why did they break up?"

"Megan was from a rich family. Everything about her life was first class. Everything but Jack. I don't really know the details, but from what Jack told me, she had only been using him. Slumming it, sort of speak. The minute that a new high class family moved to town with a son her age, she dumped Jack, saying that he was beneath her and that he was just a way to piss her folks off. She didn't love Jack, not the way he did her."

"Oh my god, what a..."

"Bitch? I know. Jack was torn up over her for a good long time. I'm not talking months. I'm talking a year and a half. Really, he's just gotten good and over her. And now here you come, another rich bitch and Jack just jumps right on in!"

For the first time, Rose understood why Julie was so protective of Jack. She had seen the damage that had been done to him by a girl from an affluent background. She had probably been there for him numerous times. Of course Julie wasn't going to be happy to see her newly healed cousin jump into a relationship with a girl from a wealthy family. She understood her perfectly well. She would have acted the same. But Julie was wrong too. Rose would never treat Jack like that. She loved him, more than she had ever loved anyone. She hadn't said it yet...she was too afraid to right now...but she did. It'd kill her to break Jack's heart.

"I'd never do that to him, Julie."

"Yeah, right. Is saw how your friends looked at him..."

"Ex-friends, remember? I no longer hang out with them and even if I did, I'd never treat anyone like that, least of all someone as sweet, kind, and good as Jack!"

"I don't believe you."

"Well that is your problem, not mine! We're not all alike as you'd like to claim! I am nothing like that Megan in Chippewa Falls! Jack knows that! And for someone that supposed to know Jack so well, you don't know him at all! He sees people! He does, it's a gift he has as sure as drawing! Don't you think he'd be able to tell for himself if I was anything like what you claim I am?"

"Megan got over on him," Julie got up and paced.

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice..."

"I'm not leaving it up to that. I am not going to let you hurt Jack!"

Unbeknownst to either girl, Jack was coming up onto the porch and was about to open it when he heard the two girls arguing. He paused, wondering if he should go in or not. Perhaps not. He wanted to see if they could work out this mistrust they had of each other.

"I am not going to hurt him!"

"Why should I believe you? I don't know you and neither does he. I'm watching you, Rose!"

"Well you just keep on doing that, Julie. But let me tell you something! I am in love with Jack and I would never ever do what that girl did to him! Just like I'm sure that Jack would never do what Cal did to me! He trusts me with his heart and I'm going to take good care of it! I'm going to make damn sure that it's not going to break, at least that I'm not going to be the reason that it does! Why? Because I love him and when you love someone like I love Jack, you'd move the earth, sun, and moon to make sure they're happy and whole and you would rather die than hurt them!"

"And you rather die than hurt Jack."

"You're damn right I would. I'd jump off the balcony of the highest skyscraper in this town if it meant keeping him from getting hurt."

Shock rushed through Jack at Rose's words. Shock that Julie had told her about Megan obviously, and shock that she had just said that she loved him, yelled them, really. That she felt so strongly for him...as strongly as he felt for her. It was something that he hadn't even hoped to happen. Knowing it...it made his heart soar. She loved him.

He shook his head to clear it, then pulled the door open and stepped in, cutting off the argument between the girls. It was clear that he had heard the argument. Both girls stared at him with wide, guilty, and in Rose's case, scared, eyes. His heart ached to see that fear. The fear that he had heard and was about to reject her, which was ludicrous. He would never reject her.

"I suppose you heard us arguing out there," Julie said, her voice flat and resigned.

Jack didn't answer nor did he look at her. He only had eyes for Rose. "Did you mean it? About...loving...?"

Rose couldn't answer. It felt as if the words were stuck in her throat like glue. They wouldn't come, so she just nodded, a tear leaving her eye, knowing that this was the moment of truth.

"Rose," He went to her, wanting to kiss her tears away. He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. "I love you, too. I have for while. Even before we decided to date."

"Really?"

"Yes. I just didn't want to seem to be moving too fast. I didn't want to scare you..."

"You could never scare me," Rose sniffed. "Except just now you did because I thought that you wouldn't feel the same...that you cared but not...but you do..."

"Yes I do."

"And so do, I Jack. I meant every word. I love you and I rather die than hurt you..."

"I know. And I love you too," He pulled her into a hug then looked at his cousin, furious with her. "Why did you tell her about Megan?"

"She deserved to know why I didn't like her and why I'm so protective of you," Julie simply explained, going back to eating her ice cream.

"Well are you happy now? Is this enough to make you stop your attempts to bully her?" Jack asked.

Julie watched as Rose turned to face her, still remaining close to her cousin. She sighed and rolled her eyes, tired of fighting it. If Jack wanted this girl in his life, there was nothing she could do to stop it. She looked at Rose, her next words for her and no one else. "I don't like you. I barely trust you. But it's clear that you're telling the truth about loving my cousin. We're never gonna be friends, but I'll stop standing in your way."

That was as good as they were going to ever get from her. Tired of the arguing, she got up and headed into the kitchen, but not before turning around. "Break his heart and I'll break your arm. Got it Dewitt Bukater?"

"Got it," Rose nodded her agreement. She turned to Jack with a smile. "There. I got her approval."

"Almost," Jack chuckled.

"Almost," Rose happily sighed. "I love you Jack. I always will."

"I love you too," He stroked her hair and kissed her deeply. Pulling away, he gazed into her eyes. "What are you doing here anyway?"

Rose blushed and giggled girlishly. "I had left my purse in your car. I know, I could have called, but I wanted to use it as an excuse to spend extra time with you. Then I found out you weren't here and she made me mad, so I decided to wait just to piss her off."

Jack laughed. "There's that fire, I love so much. Well, at least it's gotten a somewhat of a truce between you two."

"I think I understand her more now, Jack. Before I didn't understand why she was being so mean and over-protective. But now I get it. I'm not saying she's right for painting all rich girls with a general brush, but I get it. Why didn't you tell me yourself?"

"Because Megan Price is not someone that I like to think about, much less talk about. Plus I didn't want you to feel sorry for me or think I was stupid or something."

"Oh, Jack. I would never! You have nothing to be ashamed of. You loved her and she threw it back in your face. If anyone should be ashamed and is stupid, it's her. She had you and threw you away," Rose rested her head against his shoulder. "But that's ok, because I benefit from her stupidity. I think it'd be rather difficult to woe you away from her."

"You're worth ten times of her Rose. It wouldn't be difficult at all," Jack chuckled, gently stroking her back. "Look, no more about Megan. She's in the past. Let's get your purse and spend at least the last of the daylight hours together. You can tell me all about what you're planning to wear for Tommy's party."

"Now that is a secret, Jack."

"Since when?"

"Since now," Rose laughed, following Jack out to his car.