She sits on the window seat, letting her feet dangle over and ghost over the floor. Her arm is still bandaged, but it's been several weeks since the attack. Her papa is moved home and they are both healing slowly. She sighs and leans back, gazing at the early morning haze that she loves so much. She can see the frost blanketing her beautiful garden which she is eager to go walking in because her mama has sanctioned for her to only stay in her room whilst she heals. But, it is 5 am, and she knows her mama is finally having a rest so she stands up, wincing as she reaches for her silken bathrobe and pulls it over her nightgown, leaving her hurt arm under the robe before she sinches it in her at her waist.

She pushes open her heavy oak door before sneaking out onto the soft carpet and creeping down the stairs, trying her best to not make a noise. She should have guessed her attempts would be fruitless though, as she hears a tsk sound from over the railing. She stops mid-step and looks up, grimacing as she sees Tom standing there, arms on the rail and shaking his head at her.

"Rosie, you know better." he sighs as he rubs his eyes, looking clearly weary and exhausted. She smirks before skipping down the stairs, ignoring the pain shooting through her body. "Follow me if you are so concerned," she whistles out as she makes her way into the garden, feeling the cold snow seep into her slippers. She savors the feeling of the coolness on her warm skin and she takes a deep breath, letting the cold air fill her lungs. When she opens her eyes she can see the puff of air swirling into the night. She hears his soft footsteps behind her and she smirks but does not turn around to look at him.

"I knew you'd follow me," she murmurs as her eyes flit across the now dawning sky. She waits for him to come up behind her and hug her, but he remains still in his spot. She raises an eyebrow and turns around, looking at him quizzically.

He shakes his head and presses his hands deeper into his pockets- he must have been up the entire night working and had not bothered to change his clothes. He looks at her with those same tired eyes and weary expression, but still makes no effort to move closer to her. He just chews on his bottom lip before looking at her, up and down, as if he is taking in the sight of her.

"This has to end, Rosie. You and me… All of it. It is not right and you know that. You have so much life to live and I will not get in the way of any of it. We have to stop this… We will just be in the family, and I'll be with her. You know it has to happen." He finally tells her, but his eyes dropped as soon as he started speaking. He could not look at her after he decided what to say. When he finally makes eye contact with her, she is shaking her head and tears have sprung to her eyes.

"You don't mean that," she snaps out, looking angry now and she stiffens her stance, staring at him with tears now running down her cheeks. Tom sighs out and finally walks over but she makes no effort to go into his arms, instead, she begins walking farther away and holds out her good arm, making sure he knows to stay at a distance. She doesn't beg for him to stay or change his mind and leave his wife, she just shakes her head. "If this is the choice you make, just know that I will be the loss of your life." With that statement, she walks back into the house, her back to him. This time he doesn't follow her.

She was right, of course. After he made Tom made the decision, he kept his distance, even during the times when the comfort would have helped them both; when Sonny and Papa died. At the funerals, he resisted the urge to go to her and hold her when her when her shoulders began to shake- but he never did. He remembers seeing her look at him out of the corner of the eye,

Two years later she was gone.

She had met some French diplomat they had dealings with in the past and in a whirlwind romance, she ran away to Paris- against her brother's wishes. The stunning young man had dark hard and bright blue eyes, and he remembers seeing him twirling Rosa around the living room and she stared at him like he was the only thing that existed in the world. The day after, the man whisked her away and no one saw her for seven years. Her brother was furious but he did not order a hit as he did on Connie's husband, he assumed the young girl would have come back to her family but she refused unless she could bring her husband. Michael did not allow it for so long, not until he realized he still loved his sister and wanted a relationship with her despite her too because she had told him how she loved the family. So, for Kay's birthday ball, she returned. She could tell Kay was embarrassed from all the attention at the gala type event; with glittering jewels, flowing alcohol and extravagant gowns and suits.

He still remembers how he came to a halt when she entered the room, everyone did, everyone wanted to see the girl who had run away. She was grown now, 25 years old. Her hair was cut short, hanging just above her jawline. She was dressed in red with a diamond pendant pinning back her curls. Her husband looked stiff as Michael made his way to them, but she was eager to run into her brother's arms, smiling broadly. After the introduction, Rosa falls back into her place of socializing with the family and floating around the room as she had before. She glanced at him a few times before finally muttering something to her husband and walking to the balcony, pulling a cigarette out of her clutch. She seems to change her mind at his table and stops, looking at him as she raises the cigarette to her ruby lips. "I want to talk," she says and he nods quickly before standing up and holding an arm out, leading her to one of the offices located off the main hall. She makes her way to one of the leather-clad chair and sits down, glancing up at him as he leans against the desk, looking at her but not saying a word.

The cigarette is dangling from her fingers and the diamonds embellishing her ears and hair glitter in the dim light. The young woman who loved flowers is still there, he can see her, but a tired expression has taken a permanent spot on her face. Her dark eyes look up and down his face before taking another drag from her cigarette. "I heard about your mistress." She murmurs before tapping the cigarette into the ashtray.

He shakes his head and doesn't answer her, instead just takes a sip of his scotch. "Is she like me?" She asks quietly. He bites his lip before slowly shaking his head. "No one is like you. I have tried, tried to look for you in every woman, but I could never find you."

She does not smile, she just takes another drag of her cigarette and blows the smoke into the air. "My love for you never went away, even with the anger. I'll always love you, but it was the decision you made. I would have risked everything for you."

"You would have regretted it, Rosie. You have your entire life ahead of you. You can't waste it on me." He answers as he reaches forward and brushes his fingers over her hand, dancing over the wedding band and diamond bracelet.

She frowns before batting a tear off her cheek. "It was never waste, not for me. I told you I would be the loss of your life, Tom Higgins." She says before rising and walking over to him. He stands up immediately and she wraps her arms around his neck and he wastes no time in grabbing her waist and pulling her close. Her breathing is quick and he can feel it on his neck before she turns and lets her lips ghost over his neck. Then she leans forward and kisses the sensitive skin, and he has a sharp intake of breath. He didn't know how it happened but the next thing he knew was grabbing her face and kissing her so fiercely she nearly falls down. Their kisses are hungry and passionate as if they can't get enough. But then it's over just like that. She is at the door, looking at him, he who is now covered in her red lipstick.

He is out of breath but still looks at her, silently begging her not to leave him. "I love you. I always did… Always will. I love you." he finally admits and she presses her lips together before leaning against the doorframe, shaking her head.

"I love you too. Goodbye, Tom. Take care of yourself," she whispered before rushing out of the door.

And the rest of the night went on as nothing happened. He stayed in the office for most of it, sipping whiskey and thinking about his loss, now dancing the night away with her husband. Expect for one dance. She walked up to him and held her hand out, and he took instantly. They didn't talk the entire time, she just put her face on his shoulder and he held her hand to his chest and held her waist so close to him. Then, in the end, she was gone again.

He never saw her again. He often wondered what would have happened if he did, what would he have said? No one knew she was pregnant that night. The news came out the next month and everyone was eager. Michael wanted her home for the birth and she said she wanted to stay in Paris but would come up after.. but she never did.

She gave birth to a little girl named Carmela, after mama… But she died not days after. They said she hemorrhaged. That's all he remember's hearing before he felt a ringing in his ears and a numbness seep through his body. When he got the news he stopped breathing, thinking, all of it. He fell back into his chair as the messenger went to grab his arm. He doesn't remember that night, only hearing the constant sobs from his family. He stayed in his office and finally, Michael entered, ringing his hands. "She should have been with us." Is all he says, until he finally takes a glass of brandy, his hand shaking.

Before the funeral, he remembers hearing Michael roar at her husband. "It's your fault! You took her away from us." Her husband didn't utter a word, only looked lost as he stared at his brother in law. The baby was in Connie's arms. He doesn't remember approaching the casket until he is there, his hand on the wood, with the rose slipping out of his hands and falling on the floor. "Come back little rose. Come to dance again," he whispers, hoping she would magically appear in the room like she used to do.

They took the baby home after Michael found her husband passed out drunk after the funeral. Tom watched her grow up and be like one of his own kids. She was vibrant and full of life, smiling constantly and laughing loudly. She also loved to garden.

He went to visit her grave, every month until he died. He never forgets Rosa, his little rose, who died too soon and had a smile that shone brighter than any sunrise he had ever seen. Sometimes he would see her, in those moments just before you fall asleep and when the world is hazy and quiet. He could see her as vividly as if she was standing right in front of him. That smile stayed with him, forever.

This is the end! Thank you SO much to all of you who stuck with this and followed this story to the end, I am so thankful for all of you x