Jack skipped going to his Aunt's hotel. He knew that he had to start doing something to make more time for Rose and Harold's gift and the idea of a real honeymoon was just the way to do it. It'd get them out of Chippewa Falls, away from their everyday responsibilities, away from his new time-consuming Aunt, and most of all, it'll give them time to be together, just the two of them. The only question was if Rose would go for it. After all, the trip would be a long one and would mean leaving Lily in the care of their friends for at least a couple of weeks.

Jack entered the house to find Rose making dinner while Lily sat nearby combing the hair of one of the newest dolls that the guys had managed to get for her.

"Papa Jack! You're home!" Lily squealed, jumping out of her chair and rushing over to Jack, who lifted her up into his arms.

"That I am, Lily. I was able to come home early today to see you and Mommy Rose. I missed the both of you so much," Jack kissed the little girl's cheek.

"We missed you too, especially Mommy Rose," Lily leaned over and whispered as if telling a secret. "Sometimes she cries when she thinks I'm not looking. She is so sad, Papa Jack."

Jack frowned, his heart breaking a little, knowing that he was the reason for Rose's tears. He hadn't meant for things to get so bad between them. He had just been trying to keep the peace by making sure that Rose was out of the line of fire when it came to his Aunt Enid. Now he saw that all he was doing was making her miserable.

"Are you going to make her happy again, Papa Jack?" Lily asked, her eyes curious.

"I am going to try my best. How about you go find Uncle Tommy and Aunt Leah. I saw them outside on the swing. I'm sure they'd be happy for you to join them."

"I like the swing!" Lily happily squealed as Jack put her down. He watched as the little girl darted out of the room, heading for Tommy and Leah, who were indeed sitting outside. Slowly, he approached Rose, who seemed to be busy at the stove.

"Hey, Rose?" He noticed that she hadn't greeted him. She had just kept her back turned and her attention on her task. He winced, realizing that she must really be upset with him.

"You're home early. Enid had other things to do today other than take up your time from your family?" Rose's voice was stiff and she still didn't turn to look at him.

"I deserve that," Jack sighed, bowing his head. "I'm sorry, alright? I didn't realize how bad it had gotten…"

"Until now? When your friend had to point it out to you, most likely," Rose huffed, taking a wooden spoon and stirring the pasta that she was making for dinner.

"Why didn't just tell me what you were feeling?"

"When was I supposed to do that Jack? You're never home! You're always with...her and it's not that I don't want you to get to know her, because I do...but I want some of your time, too Jack! I deserve it and so does Lily! We're your family! We've been your family a lot longer than Enid Dawson has!"

"I know, I know and I'm sorry, alright? I did wrong and I realize that. Can we sit down and talk, please? I have so much to tell you."

Rose sighed and simply nodded. Seeing that the pasta was done, she set it to the side and turned off the oven. She then took a seat at the kitchen table. "Ok. Let's talk. What do you have to tell me?"

Jack sighed and took a seat across from her. He reached over to place his hand over hers. "First of all, I am so sorry for neglecting you. I never meant to do that. I love you so much Rose and I cherish the time we have together. I cherish you with my whole heart, body, and soul. You know that."

"Do I? Because I haven't been feeling it, Jack. Not lately."

"I realize that now and I am so sorry. I want to fix it and thanks to Harold...I know how."

"Really? How? Are you going to start making time in your schedule? Stop falling asleep as soon as you get home so I can have time with you too? Take me with you on your visits or have Enid come here so I can at least see you...be in your presence...that's all I want, Jack. Your presence...and she's taking that from me…"

"I didn't mean for her to. Rose...let me make this right."

Rose sighed and looked at him sadly. "I want to...but I don't know if you can. She's still going to be a part of your life, demanding your attention...it's just something that I'm going to have to deal with."

"I can...Harold gave me a belated wedding gift today…"

"He did?"

"He did, and I know what we can do with it."

"What did he give you?"

"Money. I know, I know. It's almost like charity and I would have turned it down...but he gave me an idea on how to use it...on how to give you...us...what we need. Remember Santa Monica and all that we were hoping to do there?"

Rose's eyes widened and she nodded. "That was one of the best days of my life. We were so full of dreams and plans. We had no idea what was ahead of us."

"We can make those dreams and plans happen, Rose. We didn't take a real honeymoon because we didn't have the money. Well...we have it now. We should go. Just the two of us. Do all that we had dreamed of doing and more and just...have that time together. Just me and you."

"What about Lily?"

The guys and Sarah and Leah will take care of her while we're away."

"My job?"

"Didn't you say that Violet was almost finished with her lessons?"

Rose sighed and looked Jack straight in the eye. "Your Aunt Enid won't like it. She's here to see you, to get to know you, Jack."

"She'll just have to understand. You come first and right now, you need me to show you that you come first. You need Santa Monica and to be honest, so do I. She'll understand. If not, she'll at least get over it."

Rose wanted to feel happy. She wanted to look forward to this trip and finally have Jack all to herself. But she couldn't help but still feel a little down, because it was sad that they had come to this place of her feeling neglected. She had never thought that they'd be here, but they were. She just hoped that maybe Santa Monica could heal the rift that had formed between them.

"So when do we leave?"

"Whenever you want to, Rosie. Whenever you want to go, then we'll go."

Rose was tempted to say yesterday, but she knew that would go right over his head. "I want to go as soon as possible," Rose simply smiled, leaning over to claim her man's lips in a passionate kiss.

The kiss was interrupted by the sharp knock on the front door. Rose felt her heart sink, knowing who it was.

Jack guessed too, because he sighed and gave an apologetic smile. "We can ignore it. Maybe she'll go away."

"Tommy and Leah probably have told her that you're here, so there's no point. It's okay, Jack. Go ahead and let her in."

"Rose, I'm spending time with you right now. I can talk to her later."

"I think we've already discussed everything. We're going to Santa Monica. I'll have you all to myself soon enough. Go ahead and visit with your Aunt," She walked around the table and kissed his cheek. "I'll be fine. I promise."

Jack sighed, still not wanting to answer the door, but he knew Rose would continue to insist, so he got to his feet. "I won't be long. I promise."

Rose simply forced a smile and watched as he left the kitchen. She sighed and leaned back in the chair. She wasn't too happy about her time with Jack being cut short like that, but knowing that Santa Monica was in the future, made her feel a whole lot better about the state of her marriage.

…..

"Why Santa Monica? It's so far away and so hot there," Enid rambled. She had been at the Dawson farm for a half hour now and Jack had just broken the news that he was going to be out of town on a belated honeymoon for a few weeks.

"Oh, it has a special meaning to Rose and me. When we met, we talked about visiting the pier. It's just a place we always wanted to go. Now that my work is winding down and so is Rose's, it's the perfect time to go," Jack explained.

"Hm, I suppose. Even though, it would have been grande if you came to Boston to meet the family instead. Everyone is eager to meet Eric's only son, especially Father. Do promise that you'll come to see us in Boston next," Enid gripped Jack's hand.

Rose stood in the doorway, watching the exchange, trying not to roll her eyes. This woman was just so handsy with Jack, it was making her uncomfortable. There was no telling what Jack felt.

"I'd love to come to Boston. Maybe we can after we get back from Boston. Grab Lily and head on over there to you guys," Jack's eyes lit up.

"Oh, that would be wonderful! The return of a Dawson relative will be the talk of the town! Of course...people may have something to say about your wife, but that is just idle gossip that can be ignored. The family will be sure to adore you, of course."

Jack sighed, not knowing what to think about that part about Rose. Feeling her eyes on him, he glanced over to where she was standing. "What do you think, Rose? After Santa Monica? We grab Lily and go to Boston just to visit?"

"If that is what you want, darling," was Rose's answer before she turned and headed up the stairs to their bedroom.

Twenty minutes later, Enid was gone and Jack was standing in the doorway of their bedroom.

"Do you really want to go to Boston?" he asked, watching Rose sit up in bed and leaf through a book.

"I want to do whatever you want, Jack," Rose shrugged, keeping her eyes on the book. "I'll be fine."

"We don't have to go…"

"But you want to. You want to meet the rest of them. There's nothing wrong with that."

"I don't want you to be unhappy."

"As long as I'm with you, I'm fine. I just don't want to be locked out in the cold. That's all," Rose sighed, closing the book. "That's what she's trying to do."

"I would never let that happen."

Rose gave him a sad smile. "You wouldn't realize that it happened until it did, Jack. That's the sad thing about it. I mean...people like Enid, they just...take over without you realizing what they're doing and…"

"You're afraid that's what she's doing now?"

"You didn't even realize how bad things were until Harold pointed it out."

Jack sighed guiltily, understanding what Rose was saying. He hadn't meant to let things get so messed up, but he had. If it wasn't for Harold, he probably would have never seen it. Which concerned him. How could he keep things on track without someone pointing out his mistakes?

"We need to communicate better, Rose. I can't really know if you're unhappy if you don't tell me. I know, on Titanic, it seemed like I just knew...but that's because you told me. Now that we're married...we still need that openness. Don't hold back just because you think that my getting to know the Boston Dawsons is important to me, because you and Lily are more important to me than they'll ever be. If you don't want to go to Boston, say so and we won't go. We'll just go to Santa Monica, come back, and go on with our lives the way it's always been."

Rose sighed and shrugged. "But I do want to go to Boston. I want you to meet your grandparents and other relatives. I just don't want her to push me out, Jack. I want to remain a part of your life in all aspects, even if it's part of the world that I ran away from."

Jack walked over and sat next to her. "We keep communications open, alright? From now on, when you feel left out, let me know. Even if you have to interrupt a conversation or something. Just tell me and I'll fix it. I don't want you to ever feel like you're not a part of my life when you are my life, Rose. I love you and Lily. I love our life here more than anything. Nothing will ever change that."

"You won't think that I'm a brat?"

"Well, you already are one, so that wouldn't change," Jack laughed as Rose playfully hit his chest. "No, I won't think that you're a brat. I think that you're my wife who just wants to spend time with her husband."

"That's all I want Jack. Your time and your love," Rose smiled, pushing a lock of blond hair away from his eyes. "I promise. From now on, I'll tell you about how I feel. I'll find a way."

"Good," Jack smiled claiming her lips in a deep kiss that ended up leading to so much more.