Two days after graduation…

Rose took one last look around the room that had been hers for so long. She had left it once before, then came back. Now she was leaving it again, and this time she will not return. Today was the day that she left her mother's house for good and started her new life with Jack in New York. She looked at the clock and sighed. It was time for her to get her things in her car and go pick up Jack, Helga, and Fabrizio. They were making this a road trip from California to New York and it was going to be awesome.

Everything was already taken care of. She had signed for her inheritance and now the money was available for use. They had found a wonderful townhouse in Harlem that would do all four of them nicely and had a few extra rooms for a nursery and a studio for Jack's art. They were to pick up the keys as soon as they arrived.

Yes, things were ready and it was time to leave.

"Oh thank goodness you're still here," Trudy appeared in the doorway, looking rather sad. Rose also felt a twinge in her heart. Trudy had truly been her best friend all her life and now she was leaving her behind.

"Oh Trudy!" Rose rushed over to hug her tightly. "I am truly going to miss you!"

"I am going to miss you too! I can't believe you are really leaving for good!" Trudy sniffed. She pulled away and wiped her tears. "Not that I'm not happy for you. I am. You deserve all the happiness in the world, Rose. Really you do."

"I meant what I said before graduation. I'll stay in touch. Friends forever."

Trudy nodded, remembering their vow that night, which seemed so long ago now. "Friends forever. I want postcards and a really long letter."

"You got it. And a plane ticket. You have to visit us."

"Of course," Trudy smiled, excited at the prospect of visiting New York.

"Oh, you are still here," Ruth appeared in the doorway with what looked to be a workman with a notepad in his hands.

"I am just about to leave. Who is this?" Rose frowned, eyeing the stranger.

Ruth had the audacity to look a little embarrassed. "This is Joe Fletcher. A contractor. I figured that since you were leaving for good, I can finally have that exercise room I've always wanted."

Rose sighed and rolled her eyes, not at all surprised by her mother, at least not anymore. She couldn't even wait until her sheets were cold from disuse to turn her room into something else. Oh well, it didn't matter. She didn't plan to ever spend the night in this house again. If they were ever to return to LA, it would be the Dawson house where Rose would sleep.

"Very well, mother. I hope you enjoy it."

"Rose…," Ruth began, but Rose cut her off.

"Mother, I know that you don't do emotion, so I won't have you try to go through the motions. I love you and I thank you for allowing me to live here after Daddy's death. I hope that you do find some happiness in this life you seem to enjoy," Rose shrugged her shoulders, feeling strangely emotionless herself. Maybe that was because she saw so little emotion from Ruth. It made saying goodbye a mechanical experience.

"I hope the boy will take care of you."

"I am sure that he will. Good-bye mother."

"Good-bye Rose. Travel safely."

"Good-bye mother," Rose nodded, moving to hug her mother, but then stopped and held her hand in a handshake instead. It felt like everything was just a business deal.

After Ruth accepted the handshake, Rose gripped her bags and walked away. She walked out of her mother's house for the last time and got into her car. She took one last look at the museum that had once been her home.

"Good riddance," Rose sighed before starting the car and driving away.

…..

When she reached Jack's house, she was not surprised to find the porch crowded with their friends. Unlike her mother, Jack's family were saying an emotional goodbye to him, giving him hugs and sound advice.

Rose got out of the car and approached the porch. She wasn't surprised when Beth Dawson gave her a goodbye hug all her own. "Oh Rose, you've became such a huge part of this family. You take care of yourself."

"And don't let that young man charm his way out of trouble with you," Phil winked, giving Rose his own hug.

"Ha ha," Jack rolled his eyes with a good natured smile of his own, wrapping an arm around Rose once Phil released her. "Uncle Phil, Aunt Beth, seriously thank you for all that you've done for me. I won't forget it."

"Jack, you were a joy to have around. A ray of sunshine. You even had Julie in a good mood," Beth smiled, hugging her nephew. "I am going to miss your light so much. In fact, we're going to miss all of you. This house is going to be the quietest it's ever been."

"Ah, I'll stop by every now and then," Tommy winked. "Not all of us are heading off towards the horizon."

"That's good to know. You're welcomed here anytime. The same goes for Derrick and Annabelle and that nice girl Trudy. Don't be afraid to stop by to say hi and check up on us old folk," Phil grinned.

"Where's Fabrizio and Helga?" Rose frowned, noticing their absence.

"Helga wanted to try to say goodbye to her family. Bad idea if you ask me," Derrick explained, just as Fabrizio and Helga showed up with their bags slung over their shoulders.

"Sorry we late. Argument with the Dahls," Fabrizio explained between pants.

"Don't worry about it. Just get your bags into the trunk there," Jack directed.

Jack and Rose stood back while Fabrizio and Helga deposited their bags into the trunk and said their goodbyes. Finally, it was the moment they had all been waiting for. It was time to head for the future, putting the past and all its pain behind them.

"You all come for Thanksgiving!" Beth waved as they all piled into the car.

"Write and send me some original music!" Tommy waved.

Jack, Rose, Helga, and Fabrizio took one last look at their group of friends that they really considered family and felt a pang of sadness at leaving them behind. But that sadness turned into excitement as they pulled away and drove towards the highway that would take them to New York, their new home. The past had fallen away and ahead of them was a future that they could only dream about.

At the beginning of the year, it was the tears of an angel that had brought them together, now it was on angels wings that they flew to a happy future, leaving the pain of the past behind them.

Finis

(A/N: And so ends the story. I had started posting this story last year and never had I thought it'd reach over fifty chapters. It was so much fun to write and a part of me hates to see this version of Jack and Rose end. I'd like to thank everyone that faved, followed, and reviewed, and those of you that just read the story. They all meant a lot. I may write a sequel to this one later down the road, but for now this is it. I have other ideas for present time Jack and Rose stories that I want to explore. I really enjoy writing them in our time period. So much more opportunities and trouble to get them into;) I hope you guys stick around for those adventures, not to mention the 1912 stories as well. Thank you again for reading this story. I really hope that you've enjoyed reading it just like I've enjoyed writing it)