The next morning, Rose had Jack pick her up extra early so that they could stop by the police station before they had to be at school. She was determined to talk to the investigating detective over her father's murder one way or another. Jack pulled up in front of the station, still feeling reluctant about all of this. He just had a very bad feeling that if Rose kept digging, things wouldn't end well for anyone.
"Let's get this over with," Rose grabbed her purse and got out of the car. She didn't look back as she headed for the police station.
Jack sighed and got out and went after her. He had his misgivings, but he wasn't going to let Rose go through this alone. No matter what happened as a result.
The same secretary sat behind her desk, looking twice as bored, but this time the station was filled with police officers going about their day. Rose entered the station with Jack coming in after her, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He kept close as she marched up to the desk, determined to talk to someone.
"I need to see the detective in charge of the Dewitt-Bukater case," Rose stated, crossing her arms across her chest. She was determined to see someone this time. She didn't care if she was late for school or not.
"You were here yesterday," The secretary just looked at Rose as if she didn't know what she was supposed to do now.
"Yes I was and you told me he'd be here this morning. Well, this morning is here and I want to talk to him."
"Is there a problem?" A tall police officer walked up behind the secretary, curiously eyeing the teenagers. "Aren't you two kids supposed to be in school?"
"We're on our way. But first...look, I am Rose Dewitt-Bukater. The daughter of the man that had just died in a car explosion. I was wanting to talk to the detective in charge of the case. I want to know if there are any leads or what is actually being done to find my father's killer. I think I deserve to know."
"I am the investigating detective, Miss. Dewitt-Bukater. But I am afraid that it time for school for yourself and your friend there. Why don't you come back at three?"
"Will you be here?" Rose asked, remembering yesterday.
"I'll see to it that I am, Miss. Now off to school with the both of you," The officer dismissed them.
Rose sighed, realizing that she wasn't going to be any closer to finding out about her father's death than she was yesterday.
"Come on, Rose. We'll come back," Jack took her hand, his worry clear in his voice. "Come, we have fifteen minutes to get to school. After that, we're late."
Rose sighed and allowed Jack to lead her out of the station. She really wasn't in the mood for school. She wanted to find out more about her father, then after that...she wouldn't mind cuddling up with Jack, maybe even another repeat of the day before, but she knew that they couldn't. School was important and she didn't want to risk neither herself, nor Jack getting into trouble.
Rose got into the passenger's seat and stared straight ahead. She didn't even notice when Jack got in and started the car. She sat in silence, her mind going through the past year. Moving in with her father and Katarina. Feeling for the first time that she had a loving family. That she had a real home, just to lose it all in a matter of minutes. And there was nothing she could do about it, and if she was right, most likely the person responsible will never be brought to justice.
She didn't feel the tears streaming down her face until Jack put the car in park and then wrapped his arms around her, letting her press her face against his chest as she cried over her loss. She twisted her fingers into his shirt, holding onto him tightly, as if he would be taken from her as well.
She didn't know how long she stayed like that, buried in his arms, crying over a loss that she felt she'll never get over. They were late, but Jack didn't rush her. He just held her and let her cry it out. Finally, her tears ran out, and all she could do was lean against him and recover from her sudden burst of grief.
"It's going to be alright, Rose," He kissed her hair and stroked her back.
"It doesn't feel like it will. It feels like I'm suffocating, Jack. I thought I would be okay, but they're gone. They're gone and they won't come back and I feel so lost right now..."
His smile was sad and gentle as his artist hands gently cupped her face and he looked into her eyes. "Baby, you're not lost. I swear you're not. You're right here where you belong. I know that you feel alone right now. You felt that you had found the place where you belonged with your dad and Katarina, and you had. But that wasn't the only place, Rose. You had more than one home. You had them, but you also have me and I'm still here. I'll keep you from staying lost. I promise."
She sniffed and nodded her head, understanding what he was saying. He was her home now. He had been her sanctuary when she had first needed one and he'll be her sanctuary now. "I love you..."
"I love you too," Jack smiled, giving her a lingering, yet quick kiss. "But it's time we go inside now. We're pretty late."
Rose just laughed. "Yes we are. I'm sorry, for ruining your perfect record there."
"Ah, who cares about being punctual. They'll get over it," Jack winked.
She leaned against him again, not wanting to go to school. She wanted to stay in this car, in his arms, and just forget for while. It was the slight knock on the car's window that brought them back to the real world. She looked over Jack's shoulder to see the principal peering into the car.
"Mr. Dawson? Miss. Dewitt-Bukater?"
Jack turned his head to see that they were no longer alone. A blush heated his cheeks as he opened the door. "Mr. Andrews..."
"Why are you two not in class?" Principal Thomas Andrews stood back, crossing his arms over his chest. He was pretty laid back for a principal, but he still worked to keep his students in check. Jack respected the man and usually tried to stay out of trouble.
Rose exited the car on the passenger's side, blushing along with Jack. "It was my fault, Mr. Andrews. I was upset over what happened to my father again and...well Jack was comforting me and we lost track of time. I am so sorry. It won't happen again. I promise."
The principal sighed and gave a sad smile. "Alright then. I'll let you off this once. It's not like you two are late all the time. Just don't make this a regular occurrence, okay?"
Both teens nodded eagerly, relieved that they weren't in trouble after all.
"We promise, Mr. Andrews, sir," Jack promised.
"Off with the both of you then. Homeroom will end in ten more minutes," The principal waved them off. He laughed as he watched Jack take Rose's hand and they both dart towards the school building. He made a note to himself to next time write them up if they show up late to school again. He didn't want the students to think that he was becoming soft.
…..
The school day was dragging by slowly in everyone's opinion. Especially for Annabelle. Annabelle spent her days hanging out with Tommy and his friends, her brother included. But she mainly spent time with Tommy. He has been such a rock for her. He was patient, sweet, and kind and never pushed her into doing anything that she felt that she wasn't ready for. Really, he was a great boyfriend.
Maybe...maybe she was ready to move forward at last. Give Tommy something that he's been deserving of, yet she's been too scared to give. Maybe it was time to stop being so scared. She looked up as Jack and Rose entered the classroom. Rose looked as if she's been crying and Jack was holding her hand tightly as he lead her to their desks. She had to wonder how far Rose had gone with Jack already. She knew that they kissed, but what else did they do together? Were they ever intimate? Maybe she'll ask Rose when she got the chance. Not that she was comparing herself to Rose. She knew that everyone healed at their own rate, but it would still be nice to know.
After homeroom, Annabelle found herself in the girl's restroom when Rose came in. A cloud of sadness still hung over her, thanks to the deaths of her father and step-mother. Annabelle couldn't help but feel sad for her. Obviously her father and step-mother had been a part of her support group and losing them had been a great blow to her. She would normally just leave a grieving friend to their own devices, but she needed advice and Rose was the best one she could come to for that. After all, they've been through the same thing and both had great guys to help them through it. Annabelle just wanted to know how Rose got to where she was at emotionally.
She swallowed down her hesitation and stood next to Rose at the sinks, looking into the mirror. "Hi Rose."
"Hi Annabelle," Rose answered, her smile sad but genuine. "How is it going?"
"Ok...I guess. The nightmares are gone now."
"That's good. I'm glad," Rose smiled, digging out a tube of lip gloss. "How are things with Tommy?"
"They're good. He's a really good friend. I'm lucky to have him," Annabelle had to smile at the thought of the curly haired Irishman. "He's real sweet and he's patient."
"That's great. I'm really happy for you," Rose opened the tube and ran the tip across her lips. "Tommy and Jack are best friends, so I think it's pretty much a given that he's a great guy. I don't think Jack would be friends with someone who wasn't."
"Probably not. Look, Rose...I have a question. How far have you and Jack gotten when it comes to doing boy and girl things? You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I know it's a rather personal question. It's just...I feel that I should do more to progress my relationship with Tommy."
Rose paused, her mind processing the question. She then blushed, thinking of how far she and Jack had gone. The night before...she had never touched him in such a way before and it was the closest she had ever felt to him. But should she admit that to Annabelle, who seemed to be so much more timid than she was now? Probably. Honesty was best.
"Well...we're at the cuddling stage and we've had some intimate moments. I think last night we progressed further than we've ever been. But, that's just because I was ready for it. Jack...he's been letting me set the pace for everything. He never once put any pressure on me and made sure that I was okay and comfortable."
"Oh...," Annabelle bowed her head. A part of her had hoped that Rose was still at a point where she was hesitant to be close with Jack. She shouldn't feel that way, she should be happy for Rose. At least one of them was healing the wound that Cal's attack had left. But she couldn't help feeling envious.
"Annabelle...just because I am ready for such things now...it doesn't mean that you have to be," Rose reached out and touched the girl's shoulder, reading her crestfallen expression. "God, you're so much braver than I had ever been. And you were attacked twice...so it's perfectly normal if you're not ready. Even if it was only once, it'd still be normal for you not to be ready. Move at your own pace. If Tommy is anything like we think he is, he'll wait. And if he doesn't, he wasn't worth the time anyway."
"I just want to be normal again, Rose. I hate feeling like this. I don't even know if I am ready, to be honest. I just want to be well again. I want to be able to be near Tommy and not think about the attack."
Rose sighed, wishing that there was somewhere more comfortable to talk about this, but they were here in school. In the girls restroom. It was a conversation that Rose really didn't think should be put off.
"Anna...I'll tell you what Katarina told me. There will never be a time when you won't think of the attack. But there will be a time where it won't be at the forefront of your mind...that it won't seem so near. Look...just take it slow. Set the pace. If you feel uncomfortable, stop. If Tommy really cares about you, he'll understand."
"You really think so?"
Rose just smiled and nodded. "If he's anything like Jack, I know so."
"Thank you, Rose," Annabelle smiled, grateful for Rose's friendship and advice. Back in White Star, she had never dreamed of being friends with the pretty red-head. Rose had been a member of the elite. But here, she was just a regular girl with normal teenage feelings. She was indeed her friend.
"Anytime you need to talk, I'm here," Rose smiled, happy to have been able to help. She stuck her lip gloss back into her purse and smiled. "Ready to get back to class?"
"Of course," Annabelle happily smiled. She followed Rose out into the hall where both of their boyfriends were waiting.
Tommy gave Annabelle a bright smile as Rose joined Jack.
"Everything alright in there?" Tommy asked, his warm brown eyes causing Annabelle to feel a little weak in the knees.
"Everything is great. Rose and I were just talking," Annabelle smiled, hugging her books to her chest.
As the four teenagers walked to their next class, Annabelle knew that she was ready to take a new step. She just hoped that Tommy was ready for it.
…..
It was one of the few classes that Jack didn't share with Rose, but did share with Tommy. The teacher was a substitute and had the students study together for a coming test. Teaming up, the two friends pushed their desks together and was going over the material.
Tommy's mind had been in turmoil for the past few days. He had been spending a lot of time with Annabelle. The more time he spent with her, the more his feelings for her grew. Which kind of scared him, because of what she had been through. He didn't want to do anything to scare her or cause her to remember her attack. So he restrained himself whenever he felt the urge to kiss her or even hold her hand. It was driving him crazy. He didn't dare talk to her about it though. He didn't want to pressure her. But he needed to talk to someone.
Maybe Jack would understand. After all, Rose had been through the same thing as Annabelle and she and Jack were growing closer and closer everyday.
"Boy-o...I am in desperate need of advice," Tommy stated in a low voice, not wanting to get the attention of the teacher and other students.
"What about?" Jack asked, his attention on the material in the book.
"Girl problems. I was thinking that perhaps you'd be able to give a lad some advice..."
Jack looked up at Tommy with arched brows. "You want advice about girl problems? From me? I'm not exactly an encyclopedia about the female sex, you know."
"You don't need to be, but I was just thinking, since your girl has been through what mine has been through and you two are all lovey dovey these days, you can give a lad some advice on...well...how to be a proper lad around such a lass, you know?"
Jack's amused smile softened. Tommy must really like Annabelle to feel so unsure of himself. "Don't push her and follow her cues. Keep communication open. If you want to kiss her, ask first. If you want to hold her hand, ask if it's okay. It may seem unromantic, but it's best to seem unromantic than scaring the girl. And let her set the pace. That's what I do with Rose. I do nothing until she tells me that she's ready for me to."
Tommy nodded. On some level, he already knew this, but if felt better to get his thoughts reinforced by someone who was going through the same.
"Listen, I know it's hard. I loved Rose so much and just wanted to hold and kiss her all the time. But waiting for her...knowing that I wasn't scaring her or doing something that made her uncomfortable...it made it all the better," Jack squeezed his friend's hand, giving him support.
"How close are you two by now anyway?" Tommy asked, curious now.
"Close enough to plan a special weekend. I'm taking her to my Aunt and Uncle's beach house on Venice Beach. It's not much, we barely use it to be honest. But it's a nice place to take Rose to get her mind off the loss of her father. There's so much to do there, plus it'll just be the two of us. Something that we can both use right now."
"Are you two going to..."
Jack just laughed. "Sorry, Tommy. That is just between Rose and I."
"I don't think Anna will ever be ready for that," Tommy sighed, feeling a little sad. "Not that I mind."
"She will be, Tommy. Just keep doing what you're doing. And like I said, keep talking to each other."
…..
School was over and Rose and Jack were right back at the police station. This time, the secretary was gone, but the officer from that morning was there, waiting for them. He stood at the desk, a file opened to notes he had made about the Dewitt-Bukater murder.
"Hello again, Miss. Dewitt-Bukater," The officer nodded. "I'm glad to see that you've returned."
"I told you I would. I would like to know if there's been any new information about who was behind my father's and Katarina's murder. I mean...I know he had a lot of enemies, but do you have any idea who would have done this?" Rose went right to her questions, not beating behind the bush at all.
"Well, we do have a handful of suspects, but nothing concrete I am afraid," The officer sighed. To be honest, all of the suspects were rich men who were as slippery as a wet fish. Men that had been suspects before, but no charges ever brought up against them ever stuck. There was always some loophole or some judge that allowed them to slip out of his hands. He was sad to say that there was a chance that this case may go unsolved.
"Is Nathan Hockley one of those suspects?"
"Rose...," Jack sighed, still concerned. Could naming Hockley as a suspect make Rose a target?
"I need to know, Jack."
The detective sighed. "I can't give that information out. What I can tell you is that I am going to do all that I can to find the person who did this and bring them to justice. That is all I can tell you at the moment. I am sorry."
"So you can't tell me anything at all?"
"I'm sorry, Miss. But we will let you know when there is an arrest made," The officer tried to give her some kind of hope that justice will be had, but judging from the dejection in her posture, he knew that she wouldn't believe him.
"It probably was Nathan Hockley...which means he'll probably buy his way out of any sort of punishment," Rose sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Rose, we don't know that. Come on. Let's go. Let the detective do his job," Jack wrapped his arms around her waist, wanting to get her home where she didn't have to think about all of this so much.
But Rose didn't move. She looked at the detective with a determined fire in her eyes.
"Detective, will you do me a personal favor? You don't have to make a public statement or anything, but if you find any evidence that does point it's finger at a suspect, will you at least let me know who it is...at least give me some closure that way? Just let me know who did this...who took my father away from me?"
The detective sighed. What the girl was asking was against regulation, but then again...it would indeed be the only way the girl could get some sort of closure over what had happened. She at least deserved that much. "If I ever come across solid proof Miss., I will. You have my word."
"Thank you," Rose sniffed, allowing Jack to pull her to the door and out into the afternoon air. She didn't get what she wanted...a name. Someone to blame. But she did get a promise of a name and that was all she could ask for.