She had to sit down upon Holly Troy's unveiling of Thomas' last twelve hours, and Rose found that she was too far stunned to do much else than continue to sit after the story was over.

Thomas had been...

But then last night when...

And now he was...

Rose looked up at Holly with desperate eyes, wishing very much that there was more for her to tell, a better ending to leave off at for this almost unbelievable tale. It felt like fiction in her ears, the entire thing, and if this morning hadn't turned so strangely so fast, Rose wouldn't have believed it. All of it, from the idea of Thomas having a secret pregnant girlfriend to being frozen in Nott Manor as an almost stranger informed her and Kendall that their best friend was now a single father to a premature child felt... it felt...

It felt like she and Kendall were on the outside looking in to this whole other world Thomas had created for himself, and it was only through a tragic string of events that they were included now.

And then, immediately, Rose felt guilty for her thoughts, for now, out of all times, was not about that. It was about helping navigate her friend, her very best friend, through something that she could quite certainly say the three of them never thought they would have to face in their lifetimes. It was about ensuring Thomas would come back from this, helping him return to as much as his former self as possible. Was that possible? She didn't... she wasn't sure about much of anything at the moment.

Holly had escorted them to Thomas' room, and it was with a wary glance at Kendall that Rose raised her hand to knock on the door.

"Thomas?"

She spoke softly, pressing closer to the door only when there was no response. Her free arm clutched her opposite elbow, her back curled in a wounded manner. "It's us," Rose continued, her brow permanently furrowed. "May we come in?" It was entirely formal, of course, because all three of them knew she and Kendall were going to barge on in regardless of Thomas' wishes, but they always played this game.