FROM NOW UNTIL ETERNITY
Chapter Thirteen

It had been two whole weeks since the breakup, and Rose had yet to hear from Jack. Sure, she saw him in school, but he avoided her, he didn’t even say hello or ask how she was doing. From there, things got worse. She flunked her French test, her chemistry project was late, and everything she ate before eleven o’clock came back up, leaving her weak and trembling.

At the moment, she was at home in her room, lying on her bed in the deep throes of the depression that had taken her over just that morning. All she could think about was how screwed up her life was. She was failing her classes and she was pregnant and alone. When her mother found out about her predicament…who knew what would happen?

"Rose! You have company!" Ruth softly knocked. She had noticed the deterioration of her daughter’s mood lately and was deeply concerned. But the more she tried to talk to Rose, the more Rose shut her out. Hopefully a friend would be able to reach her daughter. "It’s Leanne!"

Rose rolled her eyes. The last thing she needed was Leanne in here, questioning her about Jack and the baby. "Send her in, I guess."

"Don’t sound too enthusiastic, Rose." Leanne entered. She shook her head, noticing how dark everything was. "Rose…really. You need some light in here."

"What do you want, Leanne?"

"I want you to lift yourself out of this depression! I want the old Rose back! No more lying in bed moping over a simple argument."

"It wasn’t a simple argument. He left me. He hasn’t even talked to me since that horrible day."

"Well, it’s about time he did. Now, get up and get ready, Rose. We’re going out."

Rose sighed. She didn’t want to go anywhere. She just wanted to stay in bed and mope over the ruin of her life. "Go away."

"No. Your reign of depression is now over. It’s time you got up and had some fun!" Leanne pulled her friend out of bed. In an hour, Rose was ready for a night on the town.

"Where are we going?" Rose frowned as Leanne pulled her into the car.

"The Quarry. I heard that place is where the party’s at."

Rose frowned. There was something about the Quarry tonight…but she couldn’t remember what it was. She was still pondering the question when Leanne pulled up in front of the club.

"Heavy metal." Leanne nodded her approval. "Looks like we came on the right night. Come on."

Pushing back the uneasy feeling rising in the pit of her stomach, Rose followed Leanne into the club. She suddenly remembered that this was punk night, plus she had been with Jack at the time. What would happen now that she was with Leanne instead of Jack?

"What are you two doing here?" a familiar voice asked. Rose turned around and recognized Jack’s friend Moira. The girl was dressed in black leather and wore some kind of punk hairstyle. "Especially on punk night."

Rose opened her mouth to answer, but Leanne spoke up first. "We’re here to have fun. What’s it to you?"

Moira rolled her eyes. "Fun. Sure." She walked away, disappearing into the churning crowd.

"The nerve of her. We have as much right to be here as she does." Leanne snorted.

"She’s Jack’s friend. I wonder if he’s here, too." Rose looked around, hoping to find a handsome, blonde-haired boy among all the makeup, leather, and strange hairstyles.

"Come, Rose. Let’s find a table." Leanne pulled her deeper into the club.

*****

Deciding to stop moping at home, Jack decided to call Moira and head for the Quarry. Even though it was punk night, he needed to do something that would take his mind off of Rose and their baby. Right now, he was waiting for Moira to return with their drinks.

Sighing, his thoughts returned to Rose. They hadn’t spoken in two weeks. Two miserable weeks for Jack. He couldn’t believe that she didn’t want to be with him anymore, especially now that she was pregnant.

"Jack." Moira interrupted his thoughts. "I think you might want to know that Rose is here and is looking like a deer caught in the headlights. You may want to go see what’s up."

"What is she doing here, and on punk night?" Jack frowned.

"I don’t know, but she was with that girl Leanne."

Jack nodded, getting to his feet. "I guess now is a good time to get to the bottom of everything."

"I’d say." Moira snorted, following her friend back to the dance floor.

*****

Rose stood against the wall, trying not to panic as the strange man that Leanne had left her with stepped closer and closer. Peeking over his shoulder, Rose saw Leanne in a passionate embrace with the man’s friend. She shook her head. One would think that Leanne would have learned from Rose’s situation, but she hadn’t. She had gone from saying hello to a complete stranger to practically making love to him on the dance floor, leaving Rose alone to entertain the man’s friend, who probably thought Rose was the same way.

"So, Rose. What do you say we step outside for some fresh air?" The man known as Spike leered down at the nervous redhead. "We can have some real fun."

Rose swallowed, taking another look at Leanne, hoping to catch her attention so they could leave. But, unfortunately, Leanne was preoccupied.

"Uh…I don’t think that’s a good idea…"

He grabbed her arm and pulled her outside anyway. To Rose’s dismay, he pulled her to a dark corner of the parking lot. "This is a lot better. No one to disturb us." Spike leaned in for a kiss. Rose didn’t respond, but she didn’t pull away, either. She was too stunned to do anything. It was when his tongue forced its way into her mouth and his hand went inside her blouse that warning bells went off in her head and she tried to pull away.

"No! Get off!" She struggled in his tight embrace, but to no avail. His hold was too tight.

"Like it rough, do ya?" Spike balled up his fist and punched Rose to the cold concrete. All too soon, he was on top of her, ripping at her clothes. "I’m happy to oblige."

"No! Get off! Help!" Rose screamed. She couldn’t believe that this was happening to her. She was going to be raped right here in the parking lot, and no one was going to help her. "Help!"

"Keep hollering, baby! That’s what I like." Spike punched her again before finally ripping the blouse all the way open.

"No!"

Spike began to laugh even more cruelly, and was balling up his fist for another punch when that fist was grabbed from behind and he was pushed off the struggling teen beneath him.

Finally free, Rose scrambled over to a nearby car and curled up against it, wanting to disappear.

"This doesn’t concern you, Dawson. The young lady and I were just having fun." Spike glared at the newcomer, his brown eyes narrowed in anger.

"Fun? It doesn’t look like she’s having fun to me. In fact, she looks terrified."

"It’s an act. She enjoys it rough." Spike snorted. "Go ahead, ask her."

Jack knew better than that. Plus, just by looking at Rose, he knew what Spike had tried to do. "No means no, Spike, and she said no. Quite loudly, may I add?"

"This doesn’t concern you, Dawson." Spike crossed his arms, glaring at the young man in front of him.

"She concerns me. Now, get out, before I call security and tell them about this. Believe me, you wouldn’t want that."

Spike looked over at the trembling Rose as if to say something, but changed his mind. She wasn’t worth it. Besides, he hated redheads. Glaring one more time at Jack, Spike headed back to the club to find a new girl.

Once he was sure that Spike was gone, Jack turned to Rose and carefully approached her. He winced as he noticed the dark bruises on her pale skin and how her hair was in disarray and her blouse ripped open. He wanted to go and skin Spike alive right then. If Rose didn’t need attention at the moment, he would have.

"Rose?" He slowly approached her. He held out his hand as he got closer. His heart broke as she scurried away from him, terrified.

"Rosie, it’s me, Jack. I won’t hurt you."

Rose tearfully looked at Jack, recognition filling her tear-filled eyes. "Jack?"

"Yes, Rose. It’s me, Jack, and you’re safe." He knelt beside her, keeping his distance so he wouldn’t spook her. "Spike is gone. I got rid of him."

Tears were spilling from Rose’s eyes as the past two weeks came down on her. "Oh, Jack!" She threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him as if he’d disappear if she let go. "I was so scared! He wouldn’t leave, and then…he forced me out here and hit me…"

"I know, Rose. Shh. I know what he tried to do. But don’t worry. He’s gone now. I made him leave, and he won’t be bothering you again." He rubbed her back gently, wanting to protect her from anymore pain.

"I was so scared."

"I know, Rose. I know."

"Jack?" Moira came up behind them, her brown eyes soft with concern. "Is everything all right?"

"Thanks to you it is." Jack looked up at his friend. "I don’t even want to think of what could’ve happened if you hadn’t told me she was here."

"Like I said, she obviously didn’t belong here on punk night. So, are you going back in, or what?" Moira asked.

"Uh…no. I’m going to take her home. But you stay, though. Have a good time."

"Sure. I’ll tell her friend that she left." Moira nodded before disappearing back into the club.

Gently lifting Rose into his arms, Jack carried to his car. Soon they were heading away into the dark night, away from the drunken men and loud music.

*****

Jack’s apartment was dark and silent as he led Rose inside on shivering legs. Silently, they went into his room where they could have more privacy, just in case Chloe and the others came back early from the movie they had gone to see. Rose curled up on the bed, unblinkingly looking at Jack, who had returned with some clothes she could change into.

"We’ll get you warm and calmed down before heading for your place," Jack explained. "What were you doing there, anyway, Rose? On punk night and with Spike?"

"Why would you care? You made it obviously clear that you didn’t want to be with me anymore. So what do you care about who I see or what I do?"

"I made it clear? Rose, you told me that Chloe was right. That we should take a break from one another. I was just giving you what you wanted."

"What I wanted? How would you know what I wanted when you didn’t give me time to explain? Jack, I never wanted to break up with you. I was just trying to give you an out."

Jack frowned. "A what?"

Rose sighed tiredly, the night’s events crashing down on her. But she didn’t buckle under the pressure. She forced herself to face Jack head on. They needed to talk this over. It had waited long enough. "An out, Jack. I thought I was pulling you into something you didn’t want. So when Chloe made that suggestion and you said no…I wanted to be sure that the decision was really from your heart, or if it was from your sense of honor."

"And like an idiot, I assumed you wanted to break up." Jack sighed, feeling like a total heel. The past two weeks were all his fault, including the incident at the club. Rose would never have been in that situation if he had just stopped and listened two weeks earlier. "Rose…there’s no words to describe how sorry I am. I acted like a jerk, and I know that the whole Spike incident was my fault, too. If I had just stopped and listened to what you were trying to say…none of this would have happened. Not our separation, and definitely not Spike. All I can do is beg for your forgiveness. Something that I know I don’t deserve."

"Oh, Jack." Tears of relief and happiness streamed from Rose’s eyes. "Tonight wasn’t your fault. If anyone’s, it was mine. I should have left the Quarry when I saw it was punk night. And as for Spike…I should have screamed bloody murder when he pulled me outside…but I was so shocked…"

"Shh." Jack wrapped his arms around her trembling frame. "No more talk about Spike or what happened. Let’s just concentrate on us."

Rose swallowed nervously, terrified of his answer to what she was about to ask, but she had to know. "Does this mean that we’re back together now?"

Jack laughed. "What else could it mean? Of course we’re back together." He held her tighter, kissing her fiery hair.

Neither heard the front door open and close. Chloe, tired from her excursion, opened Jack’s door and was surprised to find Jack embracing Rose, who at the moment looked like she had been hit by a door.

"Rose? My God, what happened to your face?" Chloe frowned in concern. Surely her kind, gentle brother wouldn’t do such a thing. Would he?

"It’s a long story. Thanks to Jack, it’s not anything worse." Rose pulled out of his arms.

"Come on. I’ll take you home. We’ll talk some more tomorrow, after you’ve gotten some rest." Jack helped Rose off the bed and escorted her out of the room. Chloe watched them leave, worried and confused. What exactly was going on with Rose and Jack, and how serious was it?

Chapter Fourteen
Stories