That evening, Rose returned home just as her father and Katarina returned from some kind of social function. Rose stood in the doorway of Katarina's dressing room, her mind on what had happened with Jack earlier. She hadn't wanted to stop kissing him. If his aunt and Uncle hadn't returned, she didn't know how far she would have allowed it to go and a part of that worried her because she wasn't quite sure if she was ready for that, despite her love for Jack. She wanted to be close to him...as close as one possibly could get to the one you love, but a part of her was still afraid that she could flashback and she didn't want to do that. Not with Jack.

"Is something on your mind Rose?" Katarina asked, letting her long dark hair out of it's intricate bun. She turned to look at the young girl, who seemed to be troubled by something.

"I suppose. How long did it take you to feel ready to make love with a man again after your attack? Were you afraid of flashing back?"

Katarina was about to take off her diamond ear rings, but then changed her mind. She smiled kindly at Rose. "Do you like cheesecake?"

Rose blinked, a bit taken aback. What did cheesecake have to do with her fear of flashing back to her attack? "Um...yes I suppose."

"Good. Rosa had made some. Let's go and get a slice and have a girl to girl chat," Katarina walked past Rose, leading the way down to the kitchen.

Rose took a seat at the kitchen table as Katarina took the dessert out of the refrigerator and then the two plates, a knife and two forks out of the cabinets. Once the dessert was served up and Rose had a slice in front of her, Katarina took a seat as well.

"Now, what is this all about?" Katarina smiled,

"Okay...I think my relationship with Jack is...changing. It's becoming...deeper. More intense. When I kiss him, it's like I don't want to stop and I want to be closer to him, but I'm afraid of making love with him. Not because I'm afraid he'll hurt me because I know he won't. I'm just afraid I'll go into a flashback and I don't want to do that with him. How long is it until that fear goes away and I can be a normal girl again?"

"You mean the girl you were before Caledon Hockley attacked you? I'm sorry Rose, but that girl is gone. There is going to be no time when that man's attack will not be at the very back of your mind. But there will be a time where it won't be anywhere near the front of your mind. Where you won't worry about flashing back. The time may not be now, but you're getting there every day."

"I wish I was there now. I want to be close to Jack. When I make love to him for the first time, I want to know for sure that I won't go careening back to that awful night. But I can't be sure and...I'm scared..."

Katarina's heart went out to Rose. She knew all too well how if felt to feel something for someone finally, after such an awful experience and have that experience hang over her head. "Rose...all I can advise is take it one day at a time. Don't try to move so fast. Something tells me that Jack will follow your lead where intimacy is concerned. If you feel ready for that...move slowly. If you feel uncomfortable, let him know. It's going to take baby steps, Rose. Lucky for you, you've found a guy that's willing to take those baby steps with you."

Rose nodded, having a feeling that Katarina would say this and that she was right. It just felt good hearing her say it. "Thank you."

"Anytime, dear," Katarina squeezed her hand. "I'm here whenever you'd want to talk about anything."

"Even when it's silly?"

"Hey, nothing you have to talk about is silly. But yes, even then and I promise everything we talk about is just between you and me. "

Rose smiled happily, feeling better now about the new direction that her relationship with Jack was going. Katarina was right. She just had to remain, cool, and alert.

"I'm glad that my dad married you. I have to admit, when mother had me believing that he had just up and left and didn't care, I resented your marriage to him, but now I know better and I honestly don't think I would have gotten through this without you."

Touched, Katarina placed her hand over Rose's. "I'm glad that you feel that way about me and your father, Rose. And I'm happy that I could help you. You are a strong girl and you are going to be just fine. You would have been just fine without me as well. You would have found a way."

"I don't feel strong," Rose looked down at her cheesecake. "Sometimes I feel like I'm coming apart at the seams."

"Sometimes, we are blind to our own strengths. It's not until time has passed and we look back that we see just how strong we really are. You're coming through this year amazingly well. A lot of my clients...it's months before they're where you're at. So don't be so hard on yourself, dear."

"Do you think Jack will still be with me when it's all said and done?"

Katarina's smile was bright and hopeful. "I have a pretty good feeling that he will be. For a young man, he has a good head on his shoulders and he genuinely cares about you. When it comes to sex, don't close him off. Talk about it. Let him know how you're feeling. You'll both get through it together."

Katarina walked over to Rose and hugged the girl, silently letting her stepdaughter know that she will never be alone and that she will always have someone in her corner, even if things with Jack ended up falling apart.

…..

Beth and Phillip Dawson were concerned about their nephew. They have noticed a few times that he and his girlfriend had been up in his room together, alone. It wasn't that they didn't trust Jack. They knew that the boy was sensitive and a gentleman at all times when it came to the opposite sex. But still, it was best to keep an eye on the situation so no unforeseen circumstances popped up. They didn't want to be one of those parents that let things happen right under their nose and then claim ignorance when everything hit the fan.

"You should talk to him, Phil. It'd sound better coming from you. Besides, I had already talked to Julie. It's your turn," Beth pushed her husband towards the stairs.

Phil sighed and rolled his eyes. He had hoped that he wouldn't have to have this talk with Jack. He should have known that he was fooling himself. Reluctantly, he went up to Jack's room and knocked on the already opened door. Peering, in he saw the young man at his easel, working on something.

Jack glanced towards the door and smiled. "Hey, Uncle Phil. Come in."

Phil smiled and entered, watching the young man. He had to say that he did not regret taking Jack in. If he had a son, he knew that he'd want him to be just like Jack. The boy did have a good head on his shoulders. Even though sometimes he pushed the envelope, but that was just being a teenager. "Hey. What masterpiece are you working on there, son?"

Jack blushed. "It's Rose. She feel asleep here the other day and she looked so peaceful. No worries at all and so beautiful...I started painting her. Don't tell anyone. I want it to be a surprise...that is if I ever show her. Maybe I won't. Girls think it's creepy when guys watch them sleep, don't they?"

Phil chuckled. "Depends on the girl. I don't think your Rose would mind though. She seems quite taken with you." He couldn't help himself and peeked at the painting and whistled. Rose was a lovely girl and Jack captured her perfectly. The boy was definitely talented. "Jack, you have such a talent. There's an art school in New York...one of the best in the country...have you thought about applying?"

Jack arched a brow and turned to his Uncle, placing his paintbrush down. "Me and art school? In New York? Do you really think I'm that good? I know what school you're talking about and they're rather hard to get into..."

"I know you're that good, son. That painting there captures your girl, perfectly. And I've seen your other work. Jack, you have a gift and it can take you places if channeled in the right direction. This is your senior year. You should apply."

"But how would I ever be able to afford something like that...plus it would mean leaving California...leaving you and Aunt Beth and Julie...this has become my home. I can't even picture not being here."

Phil wrapped his arms around the boy, touched that he felt comfortable with them. He had worked hard to make this a loving home for his deceased brother's son and it pleased him to know that he had succeeded. "Jack, this will always be your home and we will always be here for you. No matter what. We're your family and we love you. Your Aunt Beth and I, we love you as if you were our own. We'll always be just a phone call or airplane ride away. We just want what's best for you and to see you do well. And if we can help you move forward into a career doing what you already love, we'd be happy to do so."

"How about the money? Tuition isn't cheap, not to mention living expenses..."

"We'll figure that out. But right now, I want you to promise me that you'll apply."

Jack stayed silent, mulling it over in his head. Art school. In New York. Away from everyone he knew and loved...maybe Rose would go with him. Him and Rose in New York...he liked the sound of that. "Okay...I'll apply. I think the school counselors office has some applications...I'll pick one up tomorrow."

"You'll make it in, Jack. I know you will and we'll help you with whatever you need.. When your work is displayed in all the prestigious galleries in the country, I want to be able to say I helped," Phil laughed.

Jack laughed as well and hugged his Uncle. "Thank you. Wait until I tell Rose. She's always saying how talented I am."

"Speaking of Rose...," Phil cleared his throat, approaching the subject that he had originally came to talk about carefully. "Your aunt and I have noticed that you two have been up here alone, recently..."

"Nothing happened, I assure you," Jack quickly said his face again heating in a blush as he thought about the last time he had been alone in his room with Rose. He'll never forget the sight of her nude body and how much he had wanted to touch her.

"I know...but things can happen...you know...one thing can lead to another and...well...if you have any questions I'm more than willing to answer them. Sometimes advice from a more experienced male can help a young man such as yourself."

Jack laughed and shook his head. "I don't know about that, Uncle Phil."

"Do you have questions Jack?"

He did. Not about the birds and the bees stuff because as a 18 year old, he already knew all of that, but there were other things. He didn't know if his Uncle could help him figure it out, but maybe it'd be a good idea to ask. "Can we sit?"

"Sure, son," Phil sat on the bed and patted the spot next to him.

Jack sat next to him and sighed, his mind going back to that afternoon, when he had kissed Rose and didn't want to stop. How she had felt so perfect in his arms, as if they had been created just for her. Things had gotten so heightened between them and it worried him.

"Well, as you know, Rose hasn't had a good experience when it comes to sex. But lately, our relationship...it's becoming more intense and...I guess I'm worried. When we do have our first time...I don't want it to be something that just happens anywhere. I want to make it special for her. I want to give her the experience of her life...that changes it from something scary to something wonderful. But the problem is...when to know when it's the right time to do so. I don't want to push her into something she's not ready for...yet I don't want our first time to be in the heat of a passionate moment in my room or in a car..."

"How do you picture it?"

"Hotel room, candle light, roses. Soft music. I'd love to make that happen for her, but only when she's ready...but how do I know when she's ready? I don't want to read her wrong. Yet I don't want to push...I don't know what to do, Uncle Phil."

Phil felt relieved a little. This talk wasn't as hard as he thought it would be. "When your aunt and I had our first time...we discussed it first. I mean, I know it sounds unromantic, but discussing it kept us on the same page. That way, I didn't push and we both knew what we wanted and I was able to make it special for her."

"Talking? That's all?"

Plil laughed. "Yes. But Jack, don't do anything unless it's what you both want and you both are ready and make sure you have protection, as in condoms and birth control. Those are the most important things. And keep communication open."

Jack nodded. "That sounds like a plan."

"You're a good boy, Jack. You have a good head on your shoulders. I trust you and so does your Aunt. You won't do anything that you and Rose aren't ready for. If your parents were here, they'd be so proud of you. They really would."

"You really think so?"

"Of course. You're talented, compassionate, and kind. You have a good head on your shoulders and you've looked after that sweet girl of yours like a gentleman. Of course they'd be proud," Phil smiled, wrapping his arm around Jack's shoulder. "Just keep doing what you're doing."

"You know...that wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be," Jack laughed. "I wanted to talk to you about Rose, but I had no idea on how to approach the subject."

Phil just laughed himself. "Yes, it can be a hard subject, but we should have known that if anyone could muddle through it so easily, it'd be the two of us."

Jack sighed and leaned his head against his Uncle's shoulder, something he had used to do with his own father when he had been alive. "Thank you Uncle Phil. For talking about the art academy and especially for your advice about Rose."

"Anytime, Jack. If you ever need to talk, I'm here for you."