June 3, 1918

Laughter filled the dinning room. Maggie and Brian had invited Erik over for dinner. Rose of course was there too. They were having a wonderful time telling stories. At one point Rose looked over at Andrew and noticed he had fallen asleep.

"I'll put him to bed." Rose said. She picked him up and he stirred but didn't wake up. Rose walked to his room. She laid him in his bed. It was then he woke up. She put the cover over him and picked up one of his books. Eventually he fell back to sleep. She smiled and kissed him on the head. Then went back to the party.

The four adults had dessert and then went into the living room. Brian watched Rose carefully. She hadn't been feeling good all day. He noticed she was falling asleep.

"Rose love, why don't you go up to bed? You look tired."

Rose yawned. "No...that would be terribly rude of me to leave you..."

"Go on, we don't mind." Maggie smiled.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Maggie pushed her on.

"All right. I had a wonderful time tonight. Goodnight." She got up and started up the stairs.

"Goodnight." The three of them said in unison.

Erik, Maggie, and Brian went back to their conversation. Upstairs Rose was getting changed, she put the nightgown on. She had a splitting headache. Rose started to climb in bed but then a terrible pain shot through her stomach. She clutched it and fell to the ground.

Downstairs Maggie, Brian, and Erik heard the thud. Brian quickly climbed the stairs. He knocked on the door. "Rose! Rose honey, what happened? Are you all right?" Erik was now standing next to him.

Rose started to crawl towards the door. After much struggling she was able to stand up. She walked slowly to the door. By the time she got the it open she was so weak she fell right into Erik's arms.

"Rose!" Erik tightened his grip around her. "What happened?"

"The baby.....I think it's coming....but it doesn't feel right. Things don't feel right Erik....it's too soon." Rose closed her eyes.

"Rose........Rose!" Erik shook her but she didn't reopen her eyes. He looked over at a horrified Brian. "We have to get her to the hospital. Something's wrong."

Brian ran down the stairs. "Maggie we have to get to the hospital. Go catch a cab I'll get Andrew."

Erik carried Rose down the stairs. Maggie had a cab waiting out side the door and Brian was holding Andrew. They got in the cab and sped towards the hospital. When they arrived, a doctor grabbed Rose and she disappeared into the emergency room.

Erik sat down in one of the waiting room chairs. He put his head in his hands. Brian cradled Andrew. Maggie laid her head on his shoulder.

Horrible memories of nights like this filled Erik's head. He had lost so many children with his wife. He never wanted to go through anything like that again. But who was to say that, that was happening to Rose. He sighed. He was sure she would be fine. There was just something wrong, but the doctors could fix it. They were far more advanced in the medical field now then when they had been when Erik was trying to start a family.

An hour or so later:

The doctor emerged from behind two large steel doors. His face had no emotion what so ever. It was impossible to tell what the news was. He stopped in front of the eager group.

"Mr. Dawson?" He asked Brian.

"No, I'm...."

The doctor cut him off and looked at Erik. "Are you her father sir?"

"No."

"Are any of you family?"

Maggie looked up at him. "She and her husband live with us."

"And where is her husband?"

"He's missing in action over in France." Brian said.

The doctor took a breath. "I'm sorry to hear that." He voice was genuinely sorry. He looked down at them. "I'm afraid I have some bad news. Rose lost the baby..."

Everything in Erik's world stopped at that very second. He couldn't hear anything but the sound of his heart pumping in his chest. Maggie's eyes welled with tears and she shook. Brian held his breath. The doctor continued.

"There was nothing we could do, we tried."

The three sat in silence for a long time. "How's Rose?" Erik asked frightened.

The doctor nodded. "She's fine....physically. I had no idea about her husband. I would advise you to look out for her well being. Something like this is very emotionally taxing."

"Thank you, for what you tried to do." He stared at the wall. "Can we see her?"

"If you like." The doctor turned to walk down the hall. He looked back at them. "I'm sorry."

Maggie burst into tears. She put her head in her hands and sobbed. Brian wrapped his arm around her.

"What is she going to do? She doesn't deserve this....she doesn't deserve this. And Jack...there's no Jack. Oh God...." She cried harder.

Brian looked down at Andrew who was still asleep unaware of the tragedy surrounding him. He thanked God a thousand times in his head for giving him such a healthy child. It wasn't until now that he realized how easy that could be taken away from someone.

Erik stood up. "I'm going to see her." He walked down the hallway to her bedroom.

Rose laid in her bed curled up in a ball. She was facing the window but wasn't looking out of it. Her eyes focused on nothing. Rose was floating in a black nothingness. There was no sound, smell, or feeling. Her body did shiver though. She pulled the blankets tighter but it did nothing. It was like she would never be warm again. She was vaguely aware of the door opening and someone coming in. She didn't care either.

Erik looked at Roses pale face. She was in a trance. Her lips were dry and her hair matted to her face. Roses breathing was slow. Erik sat down on the bed.

"Rose?" He said gently. "Rose."

She could hear her name being called and recognized the voice. It was sound she didn't want to hear. "Erik?"

"Yes," He said eager to comfort her.

"Please, go away. I want to be alone." He voice was in a raspy whisper, as if at any second she would burst into tears.

Erik nodded. "Ok." He stood up and walked out. Shutting the door behind him.

Rose blinked and then it hit her. A flood of tears poured form her eyes. "I'm sorry......I'm so so sorry......I didn't mean for this to happen......It's all my fault......Jack........Jack.......I'm sorry." Rose cried in agony. She repeated Jacks name over and over, in some way trying to bring him to her.

Erik could hear her pleas from outside the door. Her hysterical crying tore threw his heart. He slumped down to the ground and cried to himself. "How could this happen again? Why her? Why now?"

Rose shivered. She could barley breath she was in some much pain. Her eyes closed tightly and she moaned to herself. After a few agonizing hours she feel into the most restless uncomfortable sleep of her life.

In the middle of the night a nurse came in to check on her. Rose was sleeping but it broke the nurses heart that tears were still falling from her eyes and she was softly crying: "I have to let go. I can't go on."