Time After Time

When the van reached Canberra, the sun was setting upon the Capital City of Australia. Canberra is such a structured city, that even though Rose had visited that city on a couple of occasions throughout her life, she was still amazed by the city's structure. This time, she wasn't alone, because Fraser, Gustav, Si, Ben, and John were also gasping at the sight of the structured but quite streets.

They were starving, so they went straight to have dinner in a place called Jolimont Centre, where a lot of bus from outside the city stop and drop its passengers.

Young Guns plus Rose had burgers, fish and chips, and sandwiches while they shared the dining room with two Buddhist monks who were wearing their orange uniforms, a group of four backpackers who looked like they haven't take any shower for a couple of months, and three Chinese guys in bright coloured shirt with witty English quotes who were chatting in their language. Lestat was as sleepy as usual and he was happy to eat his dog food on his own. When they finished eating, Rose pulled out her mobile phone.

“I'll call my friend now—the place should be ready now. It's on an area named O'Malley... we'll find it by GPS.”

Rose had arranged place for them to stay that night even though they could just sleep on the van.

After taking around fifteen minutes rest to let the food down, Gustav looked around. Rose was a bit taken aback to acknowledge that he didn't look tired at all. Nor did the guys. Gustav then stood up and raise his left arm to look at his black watch.

“It's nine thirty-ish now... should we go?”

Rose nodded and stood up as well. She was tired—and she knew she was the only one who was tired, because even Lestat was more than excited even though Rose was pretty sure that dog didn't really understand what was going on—he just liked adventure to new place and that was basically it.

Canberra at night was calming. Rose felt like she was coming to a town with giant sleeping on the side of its road. Skyscrapers and sophisticated looking building were standing on their right and left, sleeping with their light off. She was pretty sure it was all offices and no one was really there at night. There were almost nobody but them and one or two cars. Tho whole view was coloured in shades of black and faint orange. Coldplay was singing “Clock” from the van speaker.

The lights go out and I can't be saved
Tides that I tried to swim against
Have brought me down upon my knees
Oh I beg, I beg and plead singing...

Slowly, as they made their way outside the area with tall buildings and offices, they view turned into dark bushes and quiet highways. O'Malley was somewhere at the outskirt of town, where they saw plenty of relaxing looking houses. They stopped at Coreen Place to stay on a light brown house with space on the yard enough to contain ten cars.

Everyone got down, taking some of their things out, choose bedrooms since there were only four and Rose obviously had to have her own room, before they finally sat at the living room and Ben suggested for them to have a night out. The guys loved the idea while Rose, who was exhausted, raised her hand and chuckled as she said.

“I'll pass. I'm pretty tired already—sorry, Guys.”

The look on their face after Rose said those words somehow made her realise that these guys just remembered that she was indeed different from them. She wasn't an actual part of Young Guns, a group of man who eventually accustomed to a lifestyle where they should be really fit for going around the globe and performing up to fifty concerts in months. Rose smiled and she was more than happy when she realised their expressions was getting warmer because of her smile.

“It's okay, Guys, you can go out and have fun without me. I will be just fine here with Lestat.”

Gustav looked at the guys, who appeared to have no other desire except to stare at Rose at that moment, finally spoke on the behalf of his friends.

“Alright, then. Have a good rest, Rose,” he smiled a warm smile—smile that reached his icy blue eyes, but somehow Gustav looked a bit sad when he said that. Then he turned around, almost forcing himself to do it, then the guys followed him. Si was the last one to turn around. Before he closed the door, he smirked at Rose, “I'll get you Mountain Dew with caffeine for tomorrow so you won't get tired easily so you can hang out with us more.”

Rose giggled.

“That's very kind of you, Si,” she said.

“Si! Come on!” Ben was shouting outside.

“Alright, alright, I'm coming,” Si replied, before grumbling something that sounds like 'Impatience bastard' and chuckling as he closed the door. “See ya, Rose. See ya, Les.”

And then the door closed.

Rose took a deep breathe and released it. That was when she realised that it was the first time she was being completely alone without the guys in months. There was something in realising that they were out there somewhere, going to a pub, and not with her. She felt relieved for no longer have to be alert—at least for a while—because she always wanted to make sure that Gustav, Fraser, Ben, Si, and John are always content and happy. Rose sighed deeply before she thought that the guys might be right about one thing.

Maybe she did acts like mother all the time.

So having five big sons will feel exactly like this, she thought and she giggled at that thought. She yawned and Lestat copied her yawn next to him. Rose took the TV remote and start to look for interesting program to watch. After ten minutes of constantly changing channels, the red haired girl gave up, leave the TV on on weather channel that played music that would make her sleepy. Lestat was already asleep at the end of sofa and Rose yawned by the sight of her Samoyed sleeping.

I'll just sleep here while I wait for them to come home, Rose decided. She yawned again and lean down to lie on sofa, one of her leg hanging down to the floor. It was a bit cold, somehow. While Rose was thinking it was probably because Canberra was just being Canberra, she pulled a blue jumper at the edge of sofa. She realised that it was probably Si's jumper. Well I hope he's doing fine without his jumper, Rose thought sleepily before she put the jumper on her torso and fell asleep. She saw that it was 10:11 pm before she closed her eyes.

Sometime after she fell asleep, she woke up.

The light was too bright and her legs were cold (Oh, of course it's going to be cold down there since the jumper only covers pretty much your upper body, Rose, she thought, half asleep). Rose squirmed and she woke up when she realised she was no longer in the sofa with Lestat next to her legs.

She was in Gustav's arms.

He was lifting her and in one surprised second Rose could tell why; because she was sleeping in front of sofa and then the guys came home and they look at her and think something like 'Awww, poor girl, she's cold and she's sleeping on sofa with TV left on and a dog on her legs' so Gustav lifted her with intention to put her on bed. Gustav, of course, realised that Rose woke up, mostly because she was squirming in his arms. He looked down at her and chuckled. Mostly, Rose guessed, must be because she looked absolutely ridiculous.

But even though she looked ridiculous, awful, or even hilarious, she couldn't care less.

Oh Dear Lord, how can you care about anything else if you're in Gustav Wood's arms?

Rose swore she could die right at that moment and she would have nothing to regret—apart from hearing Gustav sings again, maybe—because she was so happy, even though 'happy' might not enough to describe her feeling. She was obliterated by happiness she could slowly melt now. She squirmed again at the realisation that Gustav was walking calmly while lifting her. He mumbled to her with low voice and Rose never thought that any human being would be able to sound that sexy.

“You're lighter than I imagine, Rose. Perhaps that happens because you have massively long hair and I thought that it would give you extra weight,” Gustav said, smirking at her. He looked bizarrely happy. “Of course, hair is not that heavy.”

Then he walked to the bedroom and Rose hated to admit that she was hoping that the bedroom would be further. But then again, she would make his arms tired if Gustav needs to carry her for a long time. She shuddered when he put her on the bed. He was so... gentle. So caring. And the look on his eyes—Rose would die with those eyes staring at her just like that.

Gustav stood up straight after he put her on the bed and Rose found herself desperate to make him stay around her. So she asked, “What time is it?”

He looked at the black watch on his left hand.

“Quarter to twelve-ish. What is it, Rose?”

Rose sat on that answer.

“Did you guys really go out for a drink?” her voice was funny when she was sleepy.

Gustav snickered by her question. He sat on the edge of her bed and she was so happy to see him doing so. At least he wouldn't just go away, now that he was sitting. “Well, we wanted to,” Gustav shrugged and Rose just recognised that he didn't look drunk at all. “But then we just kept thinking that leaving you alone and not hanging out with you are just plain wrong... so we went back straight after we have one beer. Beside, we want to be completely fresh for next day and being in a heavy hangover is not fresh, so...” he smiled at Rose who smiled back at him.

“Thank you,” she said, feeling her cheeks were warm again. She must be blushing. “You guys are so kind to me.”

Rose felt like it would take sizable time until she could accept the fact that she was somehow precious—to someone, to a group of people, maybe to Young Guns, but that time surely would come and she could feel it.

Gustav ruffled her hair red long messy hair, his gaze was filled with warm affection, “Honestly, don't worry about that—we also do this for ourselves, okay, Rose?” Rose nodded, “Okay, Gustav.” She sighed in disappointment at the realisation that this was when he leave. He stood up and he made an awkward move as if he wanted to hug her. But then Gustav just kissed Rose's forehead and left with Rose feeling his lips pressed softly against her forehead for the rest of the night.