What A Wonderful Alternate World

Disclaimer: Did I ever mention that I don't own American Dragon: Jake Long or any of the characters? Well, I don't. This includes the episode that this story starts us off on: "Homecoming".

Summary: When Jake made his wish to save Rose, the only thing that brought him comfort was the fact that Rose was happy. What Jake doesn't know is that thanks to his wish, Rose is now trapped in a world of pain, misery and obsessions. She desperately needs help, but once you make an irreversible wish, there is no going back. Right?

Chapter One: The Day After

Jake kept his head low as he walked down the halls of Millard Fillmore Middle School alongside his two best friends: Trixie Carter and Arthur "Spud" Spudinski. It was the day after the Homecoming dance, and everyone was talking happily all throughout the halls. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Jake and his friends. As Jake walked down the halls, only one thing was on his mind: last night. It was supposed to be the best night of his life--the best night of their lives. He and Rose had been nominated for Homecoming King and Queen. But he was betrayed. By Rose, no less. But then again, she never wanted to hurt him. She made that fact blatantly clear when she made her wish.

Jake would never forget Rose's voice screaming into the night; condemning herself to death. Jake would never forget the sight of all of the hunters. Gone forever in a bright, electrical light. Wiped from existence. Then, Rose herself had started to ascend into the sky. The exact same thing was going to happen to her. Jake couldn't let her die like that.

Making that wish had to have been the hardest thing he had ever done. There had not been a moment of peace in Jake's mind since the moment he made that wish. There was not a moment when he didn't ask himself: "Was there any way for me to have re-phrased that wish so she could remember?"

"Hey bro, how are you holdin' up?" Jake could hear Spud's concerned voice.

"We missed ya during free period..." Trixie added.

It was not until they reached the doors to the school that Jake felt like speaking. "I spent it patrolling the city..." Jake replied as he pushed open the doors, stepping out into the afternoon sun. "...as far as I can tell, Rose's wish came true. No Huntsclan anywhere..."

"But what about your wish?" Trixie asked as Jake found himself walking closer to the curb. "If the Rose that exists today was never taken by the Huntsclan, that means that all of the stuff between you and her never happened..." Then she added, in a solemn voice. "She lived a whole other life..."

By now, a yellow school bus had stopped right beside Jake, and the mechanical doors opened, allowing all of the carefree other students on to take them home. "As long as she's happy..." Jake decided out loud, placing his skateboard on the ground, and his helmet on his head. "Well, later guys!" Jake took off on his skateboard, not looking where he was going. "I'm off to Gramps' shop for some dragon--uggh!"

Jake grunted as his back collided with something, or more like someone. Jake could see books falling to the ground, and he quickly fell to his knees, hoping to pick them up, only to see that the person had beat him to it. "Sorry, I--" Jake stopped as he watched the person bend down to pick up the books. The girl had lovely blue eyes and wavy golden hair. The girl wore a white blouse, a purple knee-length skirt and purple tennis shoes. As he saw this girl in front of him, Jake felt his spirits rise. There was no doubt about it. It was Rose. "Hey there..."

Rose had managed to stack her three books back up before she looked at the boy. "Hey yourself..." she replied, just as her eyes widened as she saw the boy. "You look really familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?" This was true; Rose felt like she knew this boy from somewhere, she just didn't know where. Rose hoped for an answer; she hoped that the boy would say that they went to elementary school together, or something around those lines. Although she didn't know why, she felt like meeting up with someone from her past would possibly cheer her up on a depressing day such as this. That was why Rose was disappointed when she heard the boy's answer:

"No..."

Rose could feel her spirits sinking as they both slowly stood up; Rose found herself looking out into the street, and she could see her parents across from her, standing in front of their car, waving at her. "Well, I better get going..." Rose found herself walking toward the crosswalk. "My parents are here..."

"Hey..." Rose turned back at the sound of the boy's voice. "Look, I'm really sorry; that was careless of me. Let me make it up to you by taking you out for some pizza..."

Rose found herself looking down at her feet. "I'd love to...but I have a boyfriend. I don't think he'd like me going for lunch with anyone other than him; not even my friends. I'll see you around, though..."

Jake could almost feel his heart shattering as Rose told him that she had a boyfriend. Nonetheless, he watched as Rose turned and walked over to her parents, wrapping her arms around them both in a big hug. It was then that Jake couldn't help but smile. Sure, he couldn't be with Rose, but she looked so happy. Jake knew that he had to know his place in Rose's life, and at the moment, he didn't have one. "You too, Rose..." Jake found himself saying. "Happy Homecoming..."

&*%

Rose's happy smile had faded by the time Rose got into the back seat of her parents' car. After putting on her seat belt, Rose looked up at the back of her parents' heads as they drove away from the school. "So, how was school?" her mother turned her head to face Rose. She had sadness in her eyes and tone.

"Both of you are going to go to work tonight, aren't you?" Rose changed the subject, looking down at her lap.

"Yes..." her father replied quickly. "We have to, Rose. You know that..."

"But why?" Rose looked up, fresh tears stinging her eyes. "Why tonight? I don't want to be alone tonight. It's the anniversary..."

"We know, sweetheart..." Rose's mother cut her off. "We know; it's been exactly a year. But...we can't skip out on our jobs. We have to earn the life we live..."

"Why can't you call in sick tonight?" Rose demanded, sniffling. "Please..."

Rose's mother tried to look away from her daughter, tears now welling up in her eyes. "Please, Rose..." she tried. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be. We need to go..."

"No, we need to be a family tonight!" Rose shouted. "I...I can't...I need you..."

"Rose, we've talked about this..." she could hear her father say, his voice breaking as he focused on the road. "...What happened wasn't your fault...."

"Here..." Rose's mother wiped away her forming tears with one hand as she used her other to grab her purse from beside the seat. Reaching in, Rose's mother held out a fifty dollar bill and extended it toward her daughter. "Please, Rose. Order yourself a nice, big pizza..."

Rose just stared blankly at the money in her mother's hand, more tears rolling down her cheeks. Finally, Rose managed to speak: "I don't want the money, and I don't want pizza. I want you to stay home with me tonight. I...I want my sister back..."

END CHAPTER

A/N: So yeah...What did you think? Was it any good? Please review!