A/N: Okay, I know you all didn't understand why William told Cal to leave in the last chapter. Part of it was shock, part of it was the fact that they needed to take care of Jack, and part of it was just me trying to get Cal out of there (because who wants Cal around anyway). Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

The plain white walls of the hospital reflected exactly how Rose felt inside: empty. She sat in the waiting room, staring at the wall, her mind void of thoughts. She wasn't thinking about Jack, she wasn't thinking about Betty, and she certainly wasn't thinking about Cal. Was she having some sort of breakdown? She didn't know. It didn't match anything she had experienced before.

They wouldn't let her see Jack. She told them she was his wife, but they knew exactly who they were and had heard only that they were engaged. So, because they were not family, she had to wait in the waiting room.

It was absurd to her, really. She was blood related to her mother and father, but she never felt anything other than ambivalence toward them. But Jack, who she had only met a few months before, was her real family. She would be marrying him, come hell or high water, and she was pregnant with his child. Jack's family was more a family to her than her own ever was. And the thought of being kept out of rooms because she wasn't really a Dawson made her heart ache.

"Rose!" A voice called for her, and Rose looked over to see Anna and William walking toward her. Since they hadn't ridden in the ambulance, they had to take their own car. And they had to deal with the Betty situation. Rose stood, standing in front of Jack's parents, and she suddenly felt silly that she was so upset when it was his parents who could lose their child. Anna walked over to Rose and forced a smile, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "He'll be alright, Rose," she assured her. "He's not going anywhere." Rose gave a nod, forcing a smile. "Did they say how he is?" She asked.

Rose shook her head. "I can't get any information since I'm not family," she rolled her eyes, but another tear rolled down her cheek. Anna could tell that while she was trying to pretend that she wasn't bothered by it, it really did upset her. "I've just been waiting here."

William looked around the waiting room, trying to find a doctor to give him an update. Finally, he found one, and he waved him over. "Yes," The doctor began. "Can I help you, sir?"

"Yes. I'm William Dawson, Jack Dawson's father," William began. "This is Rose. She's Jack's fiance, and she's family. Any updates you have, you can give to her." Rose smiled, and Anna wrapped an arm around her. "Now, is there any update on my son?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes, sir." The doctor looked down at the chart in his hand. "He's critical but stable. He's recovering in a room, he's still unconscious, but we hope that he'll make a full recovery."

Rose sat and cried into her hands, unable to keep in her feelings anymore. Anna sat next to her, wrapping her arm around her. "He's alright, Rose," she said softly, trying to comfort her. "This stress isn't good for you. You need to try to calm down."

With Anna's help, Rose managed to calm down, her breathing slowing and her heartbeat slowing. She went over everything in her head: she was fine, Jack would recover, and Cal was gone. But Betty was still in danger. "Where's Betty?" Rose asked.

"She's at home," William answered. "She was hiding in a hidden spot in the garden, far from the house. We have to figure out what to do with her. If she stays here, Cal can take her."

"Isn't there a way out of this?" Rose asked. "Isn't there something we can do to keep her safe from him?"

William shook his head. "He's an unhinged animal. There's nothing we can do to ensure both of your safety," he explained. "The police are looking for him all around Boston, but they haven't found anything yet. And until they do, Betty has to be hidden." He looked over at Anna. "We just don't know where."

"I do," Rose answered, and they both looked over at her. "I have a friend who lives in Maine. She lives in a small town, she has a big house. And she'll protect Betty. And Cal doesn't know about her, so he won't think to look there."

"You should go with her, Rose," Anna added. "Cal could still try to hurt you, too. He was aiming for you before. He could try to hurt you again."

Rose shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere," she said quietly. "I'm not leaving Jack, no matter what. I'm staying here, with him, forever." She put her hand against her stomach, trying to feel for any sign of the life growing inside her.

The doctor came back out, walking up to them. "You can see him now," he told them. "Just one at a time, he's still unconscious and critical."

Anna looked at Rose and rubbed her arm. "You should go see him first," she told her. "You're who he'd want to see first when he wakes up."

Rose nodded, standing to follow the doctor. "In the meantime, call Betty, tell her to pack a bag, and then come here with the chauffeur. She'll see Jack, and then she'll go up to Maine. I'll call my friend and tell her about this."

William nodded. "Don't worry, we'll take care of it," he told her. "Go, go be with Jack. Everything will be fine." He wrapped his arm around Anna, kissing the top of her head.

Rose followed the doctor to Jack's room, where her soulmate was. He was laying there, unconscious, looking weak and pale. The sight of him in such a terrible condition made Rose feel sick. "When do you think he'll wake up?" Rose asked.

"We don't know," the doctor answered. "He sustained a severe injury, and he's still healing. But we hope he'll wake up soon." He looked over at Rose, seeing the sadness in her eyes. "I know it's hard, Miss, but try to focus on the fact that he's alive. He survived."

Rose nodded, sitting down next to Jack, taking his hand in hers. "Please come back to me, Jack," she whispered, running her thumb over the top of Jack's hand. "I need you. I can't live without you. Please wake up."

She looked at his face, her heart sinking at the coldness of his skin, the paleness, and the fact that she couldn't see his eyes anymore. She missed him already, and it had only been a few hours. That morning, they had been so happy. Rose was feeling better, Jack was happy, and they were looking forward to their wedding. Somehow, in only a few hours, everything had turned upside down.

Now, Jack was fighting for his life, Betty would need to run, and Rose was pregnant with a baby who might lose their father. How could things change so fast? But there was nothing Rose could do to help Jack. She could protect her child the best that she could, and she could make sure Betty made it to her friend's home safely.

Rose released Jack's hand, walking to the doctor's station right outside. "Excuse me," she said to a doctor sitting at the desk. "Is there a phone I can use?" The doctor led her to a private room with a phone, and Rose sat down, smiling at the doctor politely. "Thank you."

She picked up the phone and dialed her friend's number. It rang for a moment, but someone answered just in time. "Liza Calvert," Said a voice, out of breath as if she had run to the phone.

Rose smiled, remembering how her friend never wanted any help in her home. She was capable of doing everything on her own, and she never wanted the life that her parents raised her for, similar to Rose. "Liza?" she greeted. "It's Rose. How are you?"

"Oh my god, Rose!" Liza squealed. "I can't believe you're alive! I called your mother to give her my condolences, and she told me that you're alive, and that you're marrying a man in Boston. Thank god you're not marrying Cal. I always hated him." She paused for a second. "What's going on in your life? How are you? I need updates!"

For just a moment while talking to Liza, Rose forgot about all the problems in her life. She forgot that Jack was ill, she forgot that Betty was in danger, and she forgot that everything felt like it was falling apart. "I really want to talk to you, but right now, I need you to do me a huge favor," Rose began. "Cal shot my fiance. He's been aiming for me ever since, but there's nothing I can do to protect myself. But Jack's sister is being targeted as well, and I need to find somewhere safe for her to go, where he won't find her."

"Send her up here," Liza said immediately, without giving it any thought. "Cal will never look here. I have an extra room that I can set up. I'll take care of her, don't worry."

Rose sighed in relief. "Thank you," she said quietly. "I seriously don't know what I'd do without you." She began to go over the details, explaining everything Liza needed to know. "She's coming to the hospital to see Jack, then I'll send her up there. If someone calls you and asks for her, before you pass the phone to her, make sure it's either me, Jack, or her parents."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it," Liza comforted her friend. "Call me in a few days and give you an update. And then you can tell me how things are going there." Rose smiled, feeling more at ease now than she was before. "Stay strong, Rose. Everything will be okay."

"Thanks, Liza," Rose answered. "Bye."

She hung up the phone and stood up, stretching out her back. She had been sitting there only a few minutes, but she was sore. Maybe it was the stress, she hypothesized. Today had been one stressor after another. Eager to get back to Jack, to sit with him, Rose left the room and returned to his room.

Sitting there were Anna and William, holding hands and looking down at their injured son. Anna had tears running down her cheeks, and William was holding his wife, putting his feelings on hold to comfort her. "Did the doctor say anything new?" Rose asked, sitting down in the chair on the other side of Jack's bed.

Anna shook her head. "No," she said quietly, wiping the tears from her eyes. She reached over, fixing the blanket that was over Jack's body, trying to take care of her son any way she could. "Listen, Rose," she began, looking up at her. "I want you to know, no matter what happens with Jack… you will always be in our life. You will always be a member of our family, and we will always take care of you."

Tears filled Rose's eyes and spilled down her cheeks. "And you'll always be in mine," she answered. "And you'll be in the baby's. As much as you want." She smiled, resting a hand against her abdomen. "But he'll be okay. He's strong. He's survived so much, and this will be no exception."

They both smiled at her, appreciating her comforting words. "Did Jack know?" Anna asked.

Rose shook her head. "I left for a walk with Betty, and I started not feeling well. She insisted that I go to the doctor, which is when I found out," she explained. "I planned on telling Jack tonight, but by the time we got back from the walk, Cal was already there." Rose shuddered. "I hate that he found out the way he did. But I know there was no other choice."

"I'm just glad he knows," William said quietly, his eyes glued to his son. "Maybe it'll help him fight." The man didn't show much emotion, but Rose knew it was there. She knew that he loved his son, but that he was trying to stay strong for everyone else. She knew Jack would be an incredible husband and father too, and that he'd do whatever he had to to protect Rose and their child.

Anna leaned against William, closing her eyes. "You should go home," Rose told them. They began to object, but Rose cut them off. "It's late, and you're both exhausted. I'll stay and watch him, and I'll have someone call you if anything changes."

"You need rest too, Rose," Anna reminded her. "You're with child, and you've been through a lot today. This stress isn't good for you. You know Jack would tell you to rest."

"I will rest," Rose insisted. "I'll sleep here. I'll be fine." Anna looked at Rose, unconvinced. "I promise, I'll be fine. You should go."

William nodded. "Rose is right, darling," he said quietly. "You've been through a lot too. And we have to help Betty get going. She'll be stressed and upset. We have to take care of her."

Finally, Anna gave in, standing with William and gathering her things. She walked over to Rose, wrapped her arms around her, and whispered, "He'll be okay. Stay strong." Then, they were gone.

Rose dragged one of the other chairs closer to hers, sitting back down on one and putting her feet up on the other. She took Jack's hand once again, holding it in hers. "I love you, Jack," she whispered, leaning over and placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'm here, whenever you're ready to come back to me."

She closed her eyes, trying to relax at least a little bit. She stayed that way for quite a while. She didn't know how long after it happened but she felt Jack's hand tighten around hers. Rose opened her eyes immediately, staring at Jack. "Jack?" She said quietly, her voice shaking.

He opened his eyes, looking over at her and smiling as best as he could. Tears ran down Rose's cheeks, and she didn't bother to wipe them away. She was just so relieved that he was alright. "You're awake," she said quietly. "You came back to me!"

Jack gave her hand a gentle squeeze, probably the most strength he could muster up, and smiled at her. "I couldn't just leave my future wife and baby all alone, could I?" He said quietly, then released her hand and brought his hand to her stomach. "I'll never leave either of you. Ever."

Rose couldn't hold her feelings in any longer. She wrapped her arms around his chest, careful to avoid the wound, and sobbed against his chest. Feeling the rise and fall of his chest and his hand on her back, trying to comfort her, only made her cry harder. She could have lost him, and it was only once she had him back that she realized how possible that was. "Don't cry, Rose," he said quietly. "Please. I can't stand to see you like this."

Finally, Rose picked up her head, nodding at him. "I'm okay," she told him. "I've just been worried about you, and I don't think I realized how scared I was until now."

"I know," Jack whispered, holding her hand in his. "But you've been so strong, sweetheart. I'm so proud of you." Rose smiled, leaning over and kissing Jack as softly as she could, careful not to hurt him. "What happened with Cal? Is Betty alright? Where are my parents?"

"Cal got away," Rose said quietly. "Your father told him to leave, I suppose he didn't think to call the police or just wanted him away from you and Betty. The police are looking for him now, and once he's caught, he'll be arrested. But in the meantime, it's not safe for Betty to be here. He could take her, he could hurt her. Especially since he doesn't want me anymore, most likely."

"So what will happen to her?" Jack asked.

"I took care of it," Rose told him. "I have a friend who lives up in Maine, so Betty will stay with her for a while. No one would know to look for her there. She'll be safe until Cal's caught, and she can come back." She paused, thinking about what other information she needed to tell him. "And your parents were here with you for a while, but I told them to go home and rest. They'll be back tomorrow."

Jack smiled at her. "You took care of everything, didn't you?" He asked proudly.

Rose shrugged. "You're my family. Betty's my family. Your parents are my family," she smiled, taking his hand in hers. "I'll always take care of my family. Forever." Jack let go of Rose's hand, putting his hands flat against the bed and trying to move. "Jack, don't do that! Don't try to move," she instructed, but she knew it was futile. "What are you doing?"

Jack patted the now empty spot in the bed. "Lay with me," he whispered. "Let me hold you." Rose smiled at him, though she was scared she would hurt him. "I'm fine, Rose. You won't hurt me. But I need to hold you and know that everything's okay, and you need to not be strong for a few minutes. It's okay to fall apart."

Rose carefully climbed into bed next to him. "Just… tell me if I hurt you," she told him, carefully putting her weight on the bed. She felt Jack's arms wrap around her, pulling her closer to him.

"Pain's a part of life," he whispered, and Rose could feel him smiling against her. He placed his free hand against her abdomen. "I didn't imagine it, did I? You being pregnant?"

Rose took a sharp inhale, trying to keep back her tears. "No, you didn't imagine it," she smiled, placing her hand on top of his. "We're having a baby, Jack."

He leaned over, kissing her whole entire face. Her cheeks, forehead, eyelids, nose, and finally her lips. "I love you so much," he whispered. "I know it's soon, and I know we probably would have chosen to wait a little longer before having children, but I'm thrilled about this." Rose smiled at his reaction. "Our child is going to be perfect. And we're going to be perfect."

"I love you, Jack," Rose smiled and closed her eyes, knowing that no matter what, Jack would always come back to her, and that they would always have each other.