(A/N: The last part of this chapter is kind of smutty. Skip if you're not of age)

The next day Rose and Jack were leaving the school building hand in hand. Jack was concerned about Rose. Ever since they had arrived that morning, she had been preoccupied. He had no idea with what. He had thought everything was fine with her when they had hung up the night before, but judging from her silence, things were far from fine. He had tried to be patient. He tried to give her the space that she seemed to need and not badger her on what was bothering her, but by the end of the school day, he was at the end of his rope. They were at his car, when he decided to address her silence.

"Rose, what's going on? You've been distant all day," Jack sighed, placing his book bag in the backseat of the car.

Rose shrugged and looked down at her feet, then back up at Jack, her own eyes burning with anger. "They didn't even question Nathan Hockley, did they? I thought they would have done so over the weekend, but they haven't. They haven't questioned anybody."

Jack cursed himself as it hit him. Of course. The investigation into her father's death. How could he not have thought of that to be the reason for Rose's bad mood. He could understand her anger. But he was also scared of what could happen if she dug too much. Nathan Hockley was a dangerous man. He didn't want Rose to go up against him.

"Rose, give them time. They can't be open about the investigation. They may tip whoever was responsible off."

"We all know who is responsible. They should be trying to prove it," Rose ranted, getting into the car, her anger over the situation overwhelming her. How could they just let that man walk the street after what he had done to her family? It was absurd!

Jack sighed, not knowing what to say to smooth out her wrinkles at the moment. He understood her anger all too well. But he had learned that when there was no way to have justice, it was best to move on with your life. "Rose, they don't know. All they can do is suspect. And let's face it, he's going to make sure that there's no proof. People like that always do."

"That family has ruined so many lives..."

Jack took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Just don't think about it, sweetie. You'll drive yourself crazy if you do. Let's concentrate on the good things...like your mother trying to actually communicate with you or your acceptance to NYU! That's good, isn't it?"

"Would have been better if father and Katarina were here to celebrate with me," Rose looked down at their joined hands. She sighed and shook her head. "I can't just let this go Jack. They deserve justice. How is it justice for their killer to walk the streets as if nothing had happened? "

"It's not justice," Jack sighed, not liking where this was going. "Rose. We both know that nothing will come of an investigation and I would rather you be safe and off of Nathan Hockley's radar. Can we just.."

"No we can't Jack! I can't believe that you're wanting me to just let him get away with murdering my father!"

"That is not what I'm saying at all, Rose," Jack shook his head, the worry clear in his eyes. He just didn't want anything to happen to Rose. She was too important to him. He had lost too many people in his life and it'd kill him to lose her too. "I just think you should be careful and not rock the boat so much. I'm afraid of you falling over. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"Yes and I disagree. Who else will fight for my father and Katarina? My mother? I highly doubt it. I'm the only one that cares enough that they do get justice. That their deaths are fully investigated. Even if nothing can be found on Hockley, they should at least try."

Jack didn't say anything else. What could he say? Beg for her to drop it because he was nervous about what Nathan Hockley was really capable of? He understood her thirst for justice and he couldn't really discourage her from seeking it.

"Jack...will you take me to the police station? I want to at least see what they've come up with if anything."

Her question caught him off-guard. He had been expecting her to ask to go back to his place or the pier or somewhere where they could be alone. He hadn't been expecting the police. "Rose...now? Are you sure?"

"It won't take long. I just want to know what they've gotten so far and if they're looking into any connection Nathan Hockley may have to it."

"I really don't think that your father would want you to be going up against Nathan Hockley, Rose."

"I'm not going up against him. The police will be," Rose sighed, wishing that Jack would trying to be on her side with this. She understood his worry, but she couldn't let that stop her.

"Fine," Jack gave in, starting his car. "I guess asking some questions wouldn't hurt."

Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up in front of the police station and Rose was the first out of the car. Her face was sit with an expression of sheer determination and stubbornness. Jack followed her, hoping for the best and fearing the worse.

Rose approached the secretary and cleared her throat, trying to give off the air of a grown up somehow. She needed to be taken seriously if any justice was to be had.

"May I help you?" The secretary asked, obviously bored. She didn't even bother looking up from the magazine that she was reading.

"I am Rose Dewitt Bukater. I wanted to inquire about the investigation of my father and step-mother's murder. Is the investigating officer available?" Rose questioned.

The secretary placed down the magazine and began typing on the computer. "That's officer Snyder. He's not in right now, kid. Come back later."

"Well do you know when he'll be in?"

"Sorry," The secretary sighed, picking up her magazine again. "I don't. Try tomorrow morning."

"Well can you tell me anything about the investigation? Has anything been found connecting someone to the murders? How about Nathan Hockley? Has anyone looked into him yet? Or are you all ignoring..."

"Rose, I don't think she knows anything," Jack took her hand. "Come on. We'll come back in the morning before school. He'll have to be in by then, but we should go now."

Rose didn't want to leave. She wanted to remain and demand that someone tell her what was being done to find her father's killer. But she also knew that if the investigating officer wasn't available, there was no information to be hand. She sighed, annoyed about being hampered for the time being. "Tell Mr. Snyder that he can expect me first thing tomorrow morning and I want details of what he's doing to find my father's killer."

"Come on, Rose," Jack gently pulled her hand. Rose allowed him to lead her out of the station and to the car.

"Do you think he'll be here tomorrow or will it be more of the same?" Rose asked, feeling dejected.

"He probably will be. No reason why he wouldn't," Jack sighed, getting into the driver's seat. "Come on. Let me take you back to my place. We can take advantage of my room."

Rose just smiled. "I'd like that Jack. I can go for some one on one time with you."

…..

When Jack and Rose arrived at the Dawson house, they found it empty. Julie was off with Derrick and who knew where Aunt Beth and Uncle Phil had gone off to.

"It looks like it's just the two of us," Jack chuckled. Placing his portfolio on the table. "So where do you want to go? My room? Or would you rather stay down here?"

"Down here is fine. Plus it'd cut back on suspicion," Rose chuckled, placing her own book bag down next to Jack's.

"Not to worry. They trust us. My uncle knows that I plan to make our first time extra special. Which means it won't be here," Jack gently touched her cheek, causing her to blush.

"It does get harder though," Rose sighed, stepping closer to him. "I wish we didn't have to breathe. I'd never stop kissing you."

"We'd have to stop kissing some time though. We still have to eat."

Rose wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in. "Do we really?"

Jack pulled her close and claimed her lips in what at first was a chaste kiss, but soon enough he deepened it. He backed up to the couch, taking her with him and soon enough he was on his back with her on top, both of them lost in the never ending kiss that was growing more and more passionate.

It was Jack that pulled away, panting breathlessly. "Rose...we should stop..."

"Why? This is perfect. It's just the two of us...and...I'm exactly where I want to be. Close to you..."

Jack smiled and pushed her red curls away from her face, struck by how lovely she was with her pink cheeks and her kiss swollen lips. "I want to be close to you too, but I also want our first time to be special. Not on the couch in my living room."

Rose blushed and giggled. "I understand. I promise not to undress you, but can I do something else?"

"What?"

Her hands slid down and rested on his hip. "We may not be ready to make love, but I can still make you feel good..."

Jack's mouth fell open and words failed to come out. He didn't know what to say. The fact that she even wanted to touch him like that made him feel indescribable. "You don't have to. I'm just as happy holding you like this."

"I know...but you've been so patient and you never push and you always end up...in this state and never even hint that I could do something to relieve you...you deserve this. Besides, I kind of want to..."

"We have plenty of time, Rose. There's no rush..."

"I know...," They were laying in such a way that one leg was on the couch and the other was hanging off the side. She was hovering over him now, her hands now tracing the shape of the bulge in his jeans. She licked her lips, with a look in her eyes that spoke of pure desire.

He couldn't take it anymore. He placed her hand over hers and pressed it against the bulge in his jeans and moaned. "Put your hands on me, Rose..."

She did exactly that, pressing her hand against him and rubbing at first gently, afraid that she might hurt him, but his moans of pleasure encouraged her to apply a little more pressure. He gripped the cushions of the couch as he rocked his hips, allowing the bulge to rub against her hand, gaining even more friction.

"Rose...don't stop," He panted breathlessly. Wanting her close, he pulled her down against his body and gripped her instead of the couch cushions. Her lips were again on his as she continued to her hand against the hardness in his jeans. She moaned in protest when his lips sudden left hers and his muscles suddenly tensed then relaxed beneath her and the hardness was gone, leaving a heated dampness in it's place. Jack continued to pant breathlessly, his eyes half closed.

Rose for her part wanted more. She wanted to explore his body some more, but she knew that this wasn't the time and place. She just rested her head against his chest and settled against him, letting being this close to him be enough.

"Well, that happened," Rose sighed, savoring the feeling of his body beneath hers. "I'm not too heavy am I?"

"Never," Jack kissed her again. "You're never too heavy."

"I...I want more Jack. I'm definitely ready for more. I can feel it..."

Jack nodded. When she had offered to do what she did, he figured that she was ready. But he was still determined to make the actual full act something special. "Be patient...I'll come up with something...soon. I promise."

"I'm going to hold you to that. But for now, just being close to you is enough."

He kissed her again before she drifted off to sleep, cuddled in his arms feeling safe and loved, all thoughts of murder investigations and Nathan Hockley far far away.