Looking around the cold, empty apartment made Rose feel as if somebody, deep inside of her, was pulling on her heartstrings. Somebody who wanted her to suffer. She felt much like the apartment, empty, hollow. The one-bedroom, kitchen, and small sitting room weren't much, but just enough. Besides, the rent was cheap and the neighborhood not too bad. The space was just enough for her, only her. She sadly shook her head and got up from her perch at the window.
"Rose!"
She could've sworn she heard someone calling her name. Sounding just like....just like...
A boom of thunder rang out through the Manhattan sky, a flicker of white light following soon after.
"You're no picnic, all right?"
There it went again, that voice. That voice so smooth and soft, so utterly amazing.
"Promise me now, Rose."
She wasn't sure she could take much more of this. Thunder rolled through again, sounding more powerful this time. She walked over to the dented kitchen sink, resting her hands on the edge of the counter.
"Step up on the rail, no peeking."
Memories flooded back through her mind, memories she was trying so hard to push away. She could still feel the cold, salty water lapping around her hopeless body. The same damn water that took him away from her, her only love, her only reason for living.....
BANG! The sound reminded her of glass, shattering into millions of tiny pieces. That glass was her life, shattered, broken. She clenched to the counter harder, her knuckles now paper-white. Lightning cracked around her, illuminating her whole apartment.
Oh, how I wish I was with Jack, she thought to herself.
You can, you know. You can be with him, forever and ever. A small voice went off in the back of her head. The same voice that persuaded her to nearly jump off the back of Titanic.
No, I made a promise. Her mind shouted back.
He's gone, why wait so long for your life to end naturally, when you can be with him now?
Rose looked up from the dingy sink. Tears were running a well-worn path down her face.
You can be with him now.
Rose turned around to face the window, looking out and down to see how far up she was. Looked like eight stories. I can be with him now.
Shaky hands unlatched the window and slid it open. There was a steady downpour in the outside air, which was cool and slightly humid from the rain. She removed her jacket, the one she hadn't taken off since the sinking.
More thunder and lightning.
She poked her head out and looked down again. It was a long way down, but perhaps not long enough. What if she was only injured? Only to be placed in a mental hospital for the rest of her life. No, she had to go higher.
Rose quickly ducked back out the window, closing and latching it. She hurried over to the heavy door, the door that somehow represented to her what crap her life had become. Since she lost everything. She tip-toed down the hallway hurriedly, anxious to finish it off. The staircase leading up to higher floors seemed to welcome her, and she accepted the greeting graciously.
The four flights of stairs she climbed were clouded with the memories of her escapade over the last few days. Tears kept falling, as steady as the rain outside. The door that led to the roof shocked her. Had she really run up that fast? Rose shook away the memories and tears as she opened the door.
She stepped out, and closed the door behind her. The thunder seemed ten times louder up here. She knew she was up high, and timidly walked over towards the ledge that prevented anyone from falling off. She didn't bother looking down, for she knew that once she jumped, she was gone.
You can be with him now.
Thunder, the loudest she had ever heard. She stepped onto the ledge. The wind and rain fluttered the white skirt of her dress, making her feel like a ghost.
Lightning flashed.
"Don't do it."
Rose whipped around, hoping to see the man who had once interrupted her previous attempt at this. Nobody was there. Her thoughts had just gotten to her again.
Thunder.
Rose looked down for the first time. The distance made her stomach drop. Wasn't it funny? She was in this same position just a few days ago, but he had saved her.
Nobody to save you now.
Lightning.
"And you've insulted me."
"Well you deserved it."
He chuckled at her quick response, the wind whipping through his sandy-blonde hair. That beautiful hair that always fell over his eyes.....
Thunder.
Just do it now Rose, now or never. She scolded herself.
Lightning.
"I figure life's a gift and I don't intend to waste it."
She felt such admiration for him, a third class boysaying something so deep.
Thunder.
You can be with him now, Rose. Just do it. Jump.
Lightning.
"Come Josephine in my flying machine..."
She giggled.
Their hands were sliding together, feeling and twisting over every crevice. She turned her head to face him. His eyes, his wonderfully blue eyes, shone with more passion than she even thought possible. He was leaning in, closer and closer......
Thunder.
Rose felt her heart being torn open. She started to cry again, harder than she ever cried before. At least she would be with him soon.
Lightning.
She was looking up at him from the life boat that was carrying her down to 'safety.' Just looking at his face made her realize something was wrong. He forced a small smile, though his eyes told a completely different story. She knew what would happen if she left him on this ship, and she wasn't going to let it happen. A flare went off above his head, illuminating the tears forming in his eyes. She knew what she had to do....
Thunder.
It would all be over soon, so why wouldn't she just jump? Something inside, deep inside, told her to wait, just a little longer....
Lightning.
"You must promise me that you'll survive. That you'll never give up.."
Rose sobbed harder, why did Jack leave her when she needed him the most? She figured it would be an easy promise to keep, as long as he was with her. But he wasn't.....
"Promise me now, Rose, and never let go of that promise."
Deep inside she knew, though she didn't want to believe it, that this was his way of saying goodbye.
"I'll never let go, Jack. I'll never let go."
He kissed their freezing hands.
Thunder.
She snapped back to reality, the thunder still roaring in her ears. She looked around herself. Had she forgotten? No, she damn well hadn't.
Rose stepped down from the ledge.
She kept her promise.