JACK AND ROSE: TOGETHER FOREVER
Chapter Fifty-Four

Jack, Rose, Bryan, Dianna, Jennifer, Scott, Meaghan, and little Michael were all sitting in the Dawson's living room talking. Well, Michael wasn't talking. He was the game piece for what Jack called 'Pass the Baby.' Everyone would sit in somewhat of a circle and all take turns holding Michael. Meaghan, who realized soon enough that Michael couldn't talk or walk yet, gave up on him and demanded to be passed around and admired too. For the past week, people had been streaming in and out of the Dawson house wanting to see the new baby. Rose, quite frankly, had been excited about all the attention. But now she was glad it was coming to a stop. She didn't mind the Langstons and Fosters coming over, though, because she didn't have to clean house or worry about dressing nice. In fact, at the moment she was dressed in a pair of Jack's pants and one of his tee shirts. Both were baggy on her, but with her hair braided back and socks on, it didn't look bad.

"He really looks like you, Jack," Jennifer commented suddenly. She was holding Michael with one arm and brushing the hair away from his face with the other. "Although, he does have your nose, Rose."

Rose laughed from her place on the couch. "How did you notice that?"

Jennifer smiled. "Well, your nose is shaped a lot differently than Jack's. It's smaller. Michael's is like that."

Rose looked at her son. "Hmm, you're right. I didn't notice that before."

Jennifer smiled again and went back to looking at Michael. Rose glanced over at Jack and smiled.

Jack got up and sat next to her on the couch. "Hey, Mom," he whispered.

Rose laughed softly and shook her head. She snuggled up next to Jack and then glanced at the clock. It was almost time to put Michael down for his afternoon nap. Rose sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. She was tired after being up with Michael every night for the last couple of days. It seemed that he always needed to be changed, fed, put down for a nap. Jack did help a lot, though, and Rose was grateful to him for that. Suddenly, Michael's cry brought Rose back to the present.

"Here Jen, I'll take him. He needs to be put down for a nap anyway," she said, getting up.

Jennifer handed Michael over to Rose, who started to comfort her son. "I'll be back down in a minute," she whispered, before starting up the stairs.

Everyone watched her go, and Jack smiled brightly. Rose didn't seem to mind taking care of Michael all the time. Although, she did seem a little tired. Jack shook his head, blew the hair out of his eyes, and went back to talking with Bryan.

"There we go, Mike," Rose whispered, laying her son down in his crib.

She covered Michael up with a light blanket, and then bent down to kiss his forehead. She gently caressed his little head and smiled down at her son. He was such a good baby. Rose had just finished changing him and then she had rocked him to sleep. Smiling, she sighed happily and started to leave the room. Quietly, she closed the door until it was open just a crack, and then started back downstairs. Because it was early May, windows were open throughout the house, filling it with a gentle salt smell that came from the ocean. Rose loved this time of year. Everything looked fresh and new, and everyone seamed to be in a good mood. On top of that, Jack and Rose's third anniversary was tomorrow. They didn't have much planned. A quiet dinner at home, with Michael close by, and maybe some gentle embracing and kissing on the couch after Mike had gone to bed. Nothing too passionate. Rose was still a little sore after having Michael and didn't think it would be best to go too far this soon after having a baby. Jack had agreed with her and promised he wouldn't push her or try anything until Rose was ready. As Rose reentered the living room, she found Dianna and Bryan saying good-bye.

"You're leaving?" Rose asked, coming over.

Dianna nodded, picking Meaghan up. The little girl was crying about something. "This one needs her nap," Dianna said, nodding at Meaghan.

Rose nodded understandingly. Dianna smiled and then tried to get Meaghan to stop screaming. Rose smiled back.

"I'll see you later, then."

Dianna nodded. "All right. Have a good anniversary, you two. Come on, Bryan."

Bryan waved and then followed Dianna out of the room, both of them calling soft good-byes. Rose, Jack, Jennifer, and Scott yelled quiet good-byes and then went back to their past conversations. Rose flopped down on the couch next to Jack and closed her eyes. She listened to what Jennifer, Scott, and Jack were talking about.

"Do you know where Brittany's going to hold her wedding? Any ideas?" Jennifer asked, bringing up Brittany and Cameron's wedding, which, Brittany had at least hinted, was going to be held in August.

Rose opened her eyes and waited for Jack or Scott to answer. When neither did, she spoke. "She said she wanted to hold it down here. Or close by. And she said that she wanted it in August."

"Oh, so it's not like next year or anything?" Jennifer asked.

Rose shook her head. "No, I think she and Cameron want to get married as soon as possible."

Jennifer nodded. "Oh, okay. I didn't know and was wondering if you all knew."

They all started talking about Brittany and Cameron and how happy they seemed to be. But somewhere along the line, Scott brought up the problems over in Europe, and he and Jack started talking about war. Rose and Jennifer, who wanted nothing to do with their husbands' conversation, got up and wandered outside. They sat down on the grass and looked at the ocean.

"You know, Jack and I were thinking about putting a little fence up right there," Rose said, pointing to where the grass started to fade into sand.

"Hmm, how come?" Jennifer asked lazily.

Rose shrugged. "You know, we do have Michael now, and I think we would both feel safer with something between our kids and the ocean."

Jennifer smiled. "That makes sense. Are you just going to put it all around the property?"

"If we do end up doing that, then yes," Rose said, nodding.

They sat there for a few minutes, looking out at the water. A lot of people were out walking around, and every so often, someone would wave. Suddenly, Jennifer blurted out something that made Rose smile.

"Rose...Scott and I are thinking about having a baby."

Rose turned her head and looked at her friend. "Really? That's wonderful!"

Jennifer smiled. "Yeah, I was just thinking about that, with you talking about Michael and all."

Rose smiled. "That would be nice, Jen."

Jennifer nodded her head. "I know," she whispered.

*****

"You're not going into the gallery tomorrow, are you?" Rose asked Jack later that night as they were changing Michael and getting him ready for bed.

Jack usually went into the gallery every other day, and tomorrow he was due to go in again. Jack shook his head. "I wasn't planning on it."

Rose smiled. "Good."

Jack smiled back and then took Michael's messy diaper from Rose. He crinkled his nose at the smell and tossed it into the diaper pail to be washed. Rose laughed at Jack's face as she put a new diaper on Michael.

"Is Daddy teasing you?" she asked, nodding her head in front of her son.

In response, Michael moved his little arms and feet around. Jack laughed and came up on the other side of Rose. He handed her a sleeper for Michael. Rose dressed her son, then picked him up and handed him to Jack. She grabbed Michael's blanket and then followed Jack over to the crib. Jack kissed Michael on the forehead and then laid him down in the crib. Rose gently covered him with the blanket and then bent down and kissed him on the cheek. After she stood up, Jack pulled her into his arms and they stood watching little Mike go to sleep. Soon after, they left the room, turning out the lights as they went. Both Jack and Rose were exhausted and couldn't wait to get to sleep. They tiredly made their way toward their bedroom, where they undressed, got their nightclothes on, and then flopped into bed. Not even bothering to turn the lights on. Rose snuggled up next to Jack and closed her eyes as Jack put his arms around her.

"Three years," Jack whispered in Rose's ear.

Rose smiled. "Three wonderful years," she whispered back, her eyes still closed.

Jack leaned down and kissed Rose's forehead. He then took his wife's hand and threaded their fingers together. Rose moaned and opened her eyes.

"I am going to go to sleep now," she whispered.

Jack smiled. "Okay."

He bent down and kissed her passionately on the mouth. "I love you," he whispered.

Rose moaned again and then closed her eyes. "I love you, too," she whispered.

Jack reached down and pulled the comforter up, covering Rose and himself up. He then closed his eyes and squeezed Rose's hand. Rose gently squeezed his hand back and then they both fell into a deep sleep.

*****

Later that night, Jack was having trouble sleeping. He rolled over and tired to snuggle up with Rose, but to his astonishment, she was not there. Jack sat up and sleepily rubbed his eyes. The covers on Rose's side of the bed were folded back and her robe was gone. Jack placed his hand on the spot where Rose usually laid. It was cold, not warm like it usually was. Wondering where his wife was, Jack got out of bed and walked down the hall. He stopped at Michael's open door and peeked inside. Rose was sitting in the rocking chair, holding their son. Jack stood in the doorway and watched as Rose, who didn't notice him, comforted Michael, who was crying.

"Shh, sweetheart, don't cry. We don't wanna wake Daddy up," she whispered softly. Michael continued to cry. "Let's see here, Mike. You can't be hungry, you just ate," Rose said, talking to herself. She gently rocked Michael back and forth. "You don't need to be changed. Maybe you're just lonely. Is that it, you're just lonely? Just want someone to hold you? Feel like no one can understand you?" Rose whispered, this time talking to Michael.

Jack watched as she gently placed her son on her shoulder and started talking to him.

"You know, Michael, I felt like that before I met Daddy. I felt lonely, like no one understood me or would listen to me. I wanted someone to hold me. And that's what your Daddy did, he came and held me. Well, he did a lot more than that, Mike, but you don't want to know about that. He saved me, Michael. Someday, maybe Daddy and I will tell you that story. But not now. You wouldn't even know what I am talking about, would you?"

Jack smiled as Rose talked to Michael. He had stopped crying and now appeared to be sleeping.

Rose kissed her son gently and then started singing softly to him. "Lullaby and good night, in the sky stars are bright. Around your head, flowers gay, set your slumbers till day..." She repeated this and then kissed Michael again. "I love you," Rose whispered into her son's ear before starting to hum the song again.

"You wanted me to hold you, huh?" Jack whispered after a minute.

Rose looked up, and then started blushing. "How long have you been standing there?" she asked quietly.

Jack smiled and came over, "A little while."

"Oh," Rose whispered. She got up and cradled Michael back in her arms. "I guess we'd better put him back to bed, huh?" Rose asked, looking down at the baby.

Jack nodded and kissed Rose's forehead. "It's your turn to be held now, Rosebud," he whispered.

Rose smiled and turned to placed Michael in his crib. Jack pulled her into his arms after that and kissed the side of her head.

"We'd better get to sleep, Rose," he whispered in her ear. "Got a big day tomorrow."

Rose softly smiled. "Yeah," she whispered.

Jack and Rose whispered one last quiet good night to their son and then left the room. Rose leaned against him the whole way back to their room. She was so tired. Finally, they made it to their room, and Rose and Jack flopped down into their bed. Jack, just like he said he would, pulled Rose into his arms and let her fall asleep on his chest. He lay awake for some time after that, just watching Rose sleep and listing to her softly breathe. Finally, he drifted off into his own peaceful slumber, with no one but Rose and Michael on his mind.

Chapter Fifty-Five
Stories