Let's Face It…
If I could, I would be an enormous wench and go through every fanfic in the world that chastised Rose for not "moving over" and flame it within an inch of its life. However, that would take an eternity so I did this. Because let's face it… she could have moved over. Written with my tongue firmly in my cheek. Don't take it seriously. Please.
Rose and Jack struggled to board the piece of debris floating a distance from where the mighty Titanic had just disappeared into the ink black frozen waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Jack's fingers were numb. The water, cold as ice, literally had begun to drain the life from his body. Rose was not much better off herself. She could only think back to their fist conversation…
The water was stabbing at their flesh straight through to the bone.
It froze their minds causing the world to begin to pass in agonizingly slow motion.
Only the pain circled through their thoughts again, and again. It mocked their fragile human bodies and seemed to laugh in their face. Nature was never one to be merciful.
Rose began to wonder if people were ever even meant to tread these icy, Atlantic, waters. It seemed like a Hell capsulized from the rest of humanity.
She began to shake violently – another unexampled side effect of the frigid, raw, air and water that was literally beginning to gradually kill her.
"Hey Rose," began Jack as they clutched at each other's hands lovingly, "how's about you… ya'know… scooch."
Rose narrowed her brow in confusion, "What, Jack? I'm sorry, my hearing must be starting to go along with the feeling of my entire body."
"Scoochi, scoochi," he repeated gesturing his head to the side.
"You want me to move… well I su-suppose we could try that again."
Rose tried her best to roll to the side, but instead fell back into the ocean's grip.
"Alright, you stay on that side, I'll go over here. We got this. Just think of something hot… like some hot… water."
Together, they attempted to mount the flimsy piece of wood. Yet, Jack's grip wasn't strong enough to grasp the side, flipping the entire thing over.
They tried again and were able to stay situated for a moment before the element of buoyancy came into play.
The task required a balance and technique the pair did not hold seeing that they were finding it hard to even tread water.
"Alright, Rose," began Jack as they bobbed in the water on either side of the wood paneling, "I know this seems a bit ridiculous that I am actually de-demanding some room on this piece of—"
"I can't fe-feel my body, Jack."
"Shut the hell up and listen to me, woman!" he shouted over the cries of the other helpless souls. "One more time. We got this!"
With Jack's words of encouragement, they tried once more.
"O-okay, Ro-rose. He-here we g-g-g-g-g-go."
And then they tried another five times.
Jack fell back into to water on the sixth go. He was slow, shivering, and incapable of keeping a steady breath. His body had betrayed him.
It took everything in her power to pull herself back onto the piece of wood.
"Hey, Rose," came Jack's uplifting voice after a long moment of silence.
"So I – I just had another idea…"
Rose looked to Jack wearily, "What? What is it, Jack?"
"We can take turns on this little – little piece of wood right here."
"You- you want me to g-get off?"
Jack raised his eyebrows, "Ummm, yup. That's kinda what I meant."
"O-okay then. I'll just roll right off this thing and into the deathly cold water," she said beginning to make her way off the paneling. "Here I go. Into the… freezing… icy… murky….water."
"Well Jesus, just take your time. God," complained Jack rolling his eyes as Rose was still making her way back into the water.
Her violent shaking had escalated intensity. He sighed in frustration.
"OKAY never mind. I got another plan here.," said Jack suddenly letting go of her grip, "Titanic was a pretty big ship, right?"
She nodded tiredly, unsure of what his point was.
"Yes. The b-b-biggest."
"Good. Great," he said nodding to himself before pushing away from the wood she floated on.
"Jack!" she called, "Jack! Jack! Jack!"
He stopped his swimming and turned back to her only about an arm's length of space between them.
"What is it?!" he questioned.
"Where are you going?!"
"To find another piece of wood… I'll be back soon."
"That's a good idea."
"Yeah I mean imagine my regret if I –"
Suddenly, he began to sink, "Aw, shit," he cried trying desperately to keep his head above water, "leg cramp – hypothermia setting in," and with that he disappeared into the depths below.
"My heart might forget you all together, " Rose whispered still staring to point where he had disappeared.