Chapter 1:

I Love You Forever

"A part of you has grown in me. And so you see, it's you and me together forever and never apart, maybe in distance, but never in heart."

Chapter One: First Class girl

Her back was pin-straight. Her posture finishing school perfect, she was again everything a first class girl should be. While the chambermaid that had been appointed to her pinned up her hair, she let her thoughts drift back to Jack, back to the moment she said goodbye to the third class man she loved.

Rose closed her eyes and imagined the final moment Jack's hand was in hers. Three weeks had elapsed and she could still feel his rough fingers against her own. The moment their hands lost contact and the lifeboat descended into the icy North Atlantic she wondered whether her future as Rose Dawson would ever fold out. She didn't even know if Jack had made it, what with Cal and her mother whisking her off to first class as soon as they located her on The Carpathia, the ship that carried Titanic survivors to New York.

Her heart ached for his presence, she wondered if he was still alive and if he was did he feel the same way? She cursed herself for not jumping back on; she cursed herself for not being stronger than Cal and her mother. Her emotions became too strong she clutched onto the vanity letting out a small yelp, the chambermaid jumped back, startled.

"Miss Rose?"

"It's nothing; please continue pinning my hair I'd like to take a walk before dinner."

XXX

The Hockley garden was alive with life, a life of which only May could offer, a sign of new beginnings, Rose smiled as she passed by the fountain, Jack would have enjoyed this garden, the little Monet in him would have jumped with joy.

Rose sat down on a bench and watched the fireflies twinkle, Cal walked up breaking her train of thought.

"Sweet pea?"

"Cal, must you refer to me as sweet pea all the time? I have a name you know."

Cal raised his hand to hit her.

"Don't you do it Cal, remember last night? Mother commented on the red spot. People will talk and you said yourself that this dinner is important."

"Yes it is it may equal a new contract with an up and coming automobile company, not that you'd know much about such things."

"You take my presence for granted Cal, I could leave and reveal to society who you really are."

"You wouldn't have the guts to leave me, if you leave your reputation as a whore will come out of the wood-works."

"I could care less about my reputation, once I'm gone from you I'm gone from society."

"Where would you go? Back to your third class rat? He's probably frozen in the water anyways. You'll leave and find that he's gone, but don't be too depressed, I am sure a madam will take you in. There is always room in the whore house."

"Cal, you should have died on that ship out of the hundreds of men that did die you're the one that deserved it a piece of sh…." Rose was cut off with a swift smack on her right cheek.

Cal smiled, "You should put something on that, I wouldn't want the guests to talk. See you at dinner…sweet pea."

Rose held her cheek, she wasn't going to go down without a fight, he could hit her, and he could belittle her but he would not take away her fire.

XXX

Rose walked into dinner on Cal's arm; she was wearing a low cut dress of navy blue silk, her corset was suffocating her making the temperature in the room unbearable. She looked around at all the faces, unable to find someone familiar or friendly.

During the four courses she listened to the ramblings of the men without hearing specific words; she ate her food without tasting specific ingredients.

When the men left to smoke cigars and the women began to ask about the wedding Rose excused herself, on the account she was not feeling well, the other women offered their sympathy and she thanked them and walked up the winding staircase. The hallway disgusted her with its ornate decoration. Did everything have to be covered in flowers? Did all light fixtures have to be gold plated? The wealth that was put into that single hallway could feed all of third class Philadelphia; Rose smiled at the thought of Cal's wealth being stripped from him just to feed hungry mouths! It would serve him right.

When Rose reached her bedroom, she immediately locked the door and examined her reflection in a mirror. She looked tired and as she wiped off the powder on her face, she looked beaten. Through all of this, the Rose Dawson that had been born three weeks ago was still there, she may be covered by the false facade that Cal and her mother had built back up, but she was still there.

Rose began unpinning her hair, it fell onto her shoulders in a cascade of red curls, she again thought back to the last moments she had seen Jack.

He stood miles above her watching as the life boat she was in slowly lowered into the water. The calls from the stewards seemed so far away to Rose all she could focus on was Jack's face, and the three words he mouthed to her. Three words Cal only used to get what he wanted, but Cal never followed "I love you" with "forever"
Rose mouthed them back to him and he smiled, even though she could see the tears falling down his cheeks and onto his shirt. She felt herself let out a small sob as the boat reached the water. "I love you forever." She kept muttering to herself. As though she knew what Rose needed an older second-class woman pulled Rose into a mothering hug.

When she was on Carpathia waiting for the other lifeboats, Ruth grabbed her and dragged her back to first class. Rose tried to fight her but with no great success she was too tired and her emotions were too raw.

Hours later when she woke up Cal was standing over her, the first thing she noticed was his coy smile, before she shoved her face in a pillow.

"Rose, you can't avoid me forever."

Rose turned over, "What is it you want to say?"

"First off, the wedding is still on even though your engagement ring has seemingly disappeared. Don't worry we'll get you a new one. In the mean time we are telling everyone that it was lost during the sinking, surely that story will suffice. Secondly, you will not cavort around with any random men who "save" your life, you are mine, and you will respect me and stay in my bed. Do you understand me?"

"No."

"Well then you'll learn in time lets start with you staying here until I return." Cal walked out of the room and locked the door from the outside. She was stuck; Rose rolled back over onto her stomach and closed her eyes.

When Carpathia docked, Rose and Ruth were driven to a hotel while Cal spoke to reporters. Rose felt that her life had become a catastrophe then, but now as she stood in front of the mirror she could feel something inside her changing, something told her she would not be under Cal's control forever.

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A/N: This is a story I uploaded a few years ago. I decided to take it down and edit the chapters I had and finish it. Thank you for reading please review.