All of a sudden I was like a caged bird set free into a world full of endless colour and opportunities. Even though it was everything that I wanted, it scared me as well.

-Old Rose-

It had all seemed surreal, like a bad dream. Rose was consumed by guilt that the tragedy hadn't torn her world apart, but instead had made it come together. She was free from her mother and Cal and free to start a new life with Jack. It all felt so bittersweet. There were souls who had perished on the Titanic and loved ones devastated by grief, but yet Rose felt as though she was reborn. The Titanic would always haunt her and she would forever be taunted by nightmares from that night, but she had Jack and that was all that mattered. As cruel as it sounded, she wished that her mother and Cal had perished and had given two other good and decent souls a chance to live. Cal and her mother were rotten to the core; they were selfish and greedy with no concern for anyone unless they had money and status.

Rose couldn't wait to leave all of that behind. She could start over again. She would no longer be Rose Dewitt-Bukater; she had sunk together with the Titanic. Rose tried her best to make sure that her mother and Cal wouldn't find her. She resorted to staying in her room and when she did go out, she did the best she could to keep a low profile.

Jack was still recovering in the infirmary. It had been touch and go and the doctors didn't think that he would make it, but he was responding well to medication and had regained consciousness. The doctor said he was extremely lucky and if he would have been left a minute longer in the water, he definitely would have died. Rose knew that he would make it. After all he was a survivor. She was on her way to see him now. She couldn't bear to be apart from him for more than a single minute. Visiting hours were very short; only fifteen minutes, but those fifteen minutes meant everything to her.

The doctor didn't want the patients getting too overexcited and if they were contagious they weren't allowed any visitors at all.

Jack was asleep when Rose visited the infirmary. He looked so peaceful, like an angel. She could happily sit there and watch him. Rose placed her hand on his and gave it a gentle squeeze. Slowly he opened his sparking cornflower blue eyes.

"Rose," Jack croaked. "I'm so glad you're here. Being stuck here without you is driving me crazy."

"Oh Jack, I miss you too," Rose said, tenderly brushing a stand of hair out of his face. She felt butterflies in her stomach when she felt the touch of his hand on hers. The desire was so strong and unrelenting. If they could, right this minute she was sure they would be kissing furiously and pulling off one another's clothes. She thought back to their time in the car; his hands on hers and manically pulling one another's clothes off.

"I was so scared I was going to lose you Jack."

"I'm a survivor Rose and so are you. I knew you'd be alright. Nothing can come between us now. I think we've experienced the worst that could happen, now nothing can get in our way. I want to be with you Rose. I want us to have a life together. I want us to travel the world and then we'll settle somewhere and have lots of babies."

"Oh Jack! Everything is so perfect, it doesn't feel real. I don't deserve this, so many people lost their lives and here I am gloating about being so happy."

"Don't you dare say that Rose, you deserve the best and when I get the hell outta here, I'm going to make sure that's exactly what you get." He pulled Rose towards him and kissed her on the lips.

"Pipe down you two!" a stern looking and sounding Irish nurse barked. "This is a hospital, not a brothel!"

Both Rose and Jack burst out laughing.

"She just jealous," Jack teased.

"When does the doctor think you'll be better?"

"He says I'm making good progress, though I still need to complete my course of treatment and be kept an eye on for good measure. When we arrive in New York, I'll be transferred to another hospital, but he reckons that I'll be discharged before the end of the week. Damn I really can't wait any longer; I just want to be with you. I can understand what the doctor means about getting overexcited; just looking at you is making me excited."

"Do I really excite you so much Mr Dawson," Rose flirted.

"You have no idea how much."

"Time is up now!" the stern Irish nurse barked. "There's too much excitement going on here. Mr Dawson needs peace and quiet and plenty of rest!"

Jack and Rose tried their hardest to suppress their giggles.

"I think I should go before she gets even madder," Rose laughed.

"Rose, I love you so much. You're the best thing that's even happened to me. I know what happened is so terrible and so cruel, so many innocent people lost their lives, but I feel so lucky. I feel that fate brought us together and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I know that I'm not rich and I can't give you much, but I'll do my best. I swear."

"Oh Jack, you know that all I want is you. I don't want anything else."

Jack pulled her towards him and they had one last quick kiss before the nurse separated them.