Being A Savior
Authors note: This has been terrorizing me for a while. I've had this in my head but every time I start to right it I never get the setting or the emotions right. So I've been rereading this little one shot for a while now and have been changing things up in it for awhile until I finally think I managed to get everything right. It's a kind of dark and crazy fiasco but I like it so I hope you enjoy it also.
The setting is what if Rose didn't come back to Jack after she told him to leave her alone. How would that change the sinking and the lives lost in it.
Disclaimer: All rights to characters and quotes that you may recognize go to their rightful owners.
"Rose, you are no picnic. You're a spoiled little brat even but under that you are the most amazing wonderful girl-women that I have ever known."
"Jack, I-"
"No. Let me try tp get this out. I know how the world works. I've got ten bucks in my pocket. . .I have nothing to offer to you and I know that. I understand…But I am to involved now. You jump, I jump remember? I can't turn away without knowing you will be alright."
"Well I'm fine. I'll be fine, really."
"Really? I don't think so. They've got you trapped Rose and you are gonna die if you don't break free. Maybe not right away because your strong but sooner or later that fire that I love about you Rose. That fire is going to burn out.
"It's not up for you to save me Jack."
"Your right. Only you can do that."
"I'm going back. Leave me alone."
Rose stood on the upper deck of the Titanic shivering. Cal, Ruth and Lovejoy stood next
to her. Rose pulled her heavy coat up farther on her shoulders as she watched the green lights shoot out from the Titanic as people ran around the deck, some face's familiar to Rose while others were not.
Cal and Lovejoy were arguing with a white star employee while Ruth sipped the tea that she ordered Trudy to get her before they had made there way to the deck of the Titanic. Rose watched as Cal slipped the guy money and the employee told him to wait here while he goes and finds them a boat.
"Don't fret Ruth." Cal says. "I made sure he finds us a boat that will all be first class passengers."
Ruth palms her teacup and looks up at Cal in surprise. "You mean to tell me there letting the rats onto boats too? They'll give us disease!"
"Only the ones that have slipped past the gates before white star locked them up." Lovejoy reassured, fidgeting with something in his trouser pocket.
"Good god! You can't be serious!" Rose gasped as a white star employee rushed over.
"Put these on! Put these on!" He threw four lifejackets into Cal's hands. "Put these on!" He yelled as he ran to other passengers and threw lifejackets at them.
Cal handed one to Ruth but she shook her head. "I'll trust that you'll get us safely off this boat Mr. Hockley."
Cal smiled, "Your trust is in the right hands." He dropped the lifejackets on the ground.
"They can't do that! Mr. Andrews said the boat will go down and they can't trap those poor people down there." Rose exclaimed, grabbing a lifejacket and putting her arms through the holes before tying it up against her body. "There aren't enough boats. Half these people on this ship are going to die."
"Not the better half Rose."
Rose looked up in surprise at Cal. "You know I always thought you were wicked and disgusting and foul but I never thought you were this bad. I always went along with this horrible life thinking it would be better than being poor but I'm not sure anymore. Would I rather live with a monster and be wealthy or be with a good person and be poor? I think I know what my choice would be."
"Oh god." Cal groaned. "Your thinking of the gutter rat again, are you?"
Rose ignored him and turned to her mother. "Are you ok with the fact that half these people are going to die and not even have a chance to fight for their lives?"
"There just rats Rose." Ruth said the words coolly but her daughter could detect a small bit of panic shinning in Ruth's eyes.
Rose nodded solemnly. "Then I've made up my mind." Looking into her mother's face, covered in fear that she struggled to hide, she backed away from the small group that was all she had of a family.
Cal watched his fiancée walk away from him. "Don't just stand there Lovejoy! Bring her back this instant!"
Lovejoy's eyes lingered on the lifejackets for a moment before taking off after Rose.
Rose felt someone grab her lifejacket and swing her around, forcing her to back up against the decks wall. She stared up into the face of Lovejoy.
"Come on." He grabbed her by the lifejacket and dragged her back up towards the boats.
"No!" She yelled. "Let me go!" He's grip didn't loosen though and she caught the shape of a gun in his trouser pocket. Rose lunged for it, grabbing it with shaking hands she pointed it at Lovejoy's shoulder.
He stopped his dragging and turned around, taking in the sight of Rose holding the gun. He dropped her and backed up slightly.
"Drop the gun Ms. Dewitt Bukater," he said slowly, as if talking to a child.
Rose laughed, the laugh sounding hysterical. "Why shouldn't I shoot you? Your just as bad as the rest of the first class."
Lovejoy opened his mouth to say something but Rose turned around, running away from him. She weaved her way through the crowd and back into the Titanic. She ran to the elevators and pushed her way into it.
"Take me down," Rose told the elevator man, pulling the metal doors closed.
"Miss the elevators are closed." The balding man tried to explain as he watched the deranged red head.
"God damn it! I'm through with listening to people tell me what I can and cannot do! Go down to the third class now!"
She pointed the gun at his temple and his eyes widened and he threw the lever down, making the elevator do as Rose wants and as they went down water started pilling into the elevator making Rose's skins feels like it was getting pricked with needles. It was an odd and very painful sensation and made Rose want to order the man to go back up.
Jack's face popped up in her head though. He's boyish grin and twinkling eyes. The man pulled the screen of the elevator open and more freezing water rushed in.
"Will I find the third class passengers on this level?" She yelled out.
He didn't respond to her question but instead pushed her out of the elevator. "I'm going up!" He yelled. "I'm going up."
"Damn it!" Rose screamed as she unclasped her lifejacket, putting the pistol in her coat pocket and looked around. The water was halfway up her leg and her dress was floating in the water, exposing her shoes and ankles. She heard shouting coming to the left. She tightened her grip on the pistol and ran down the hallway towards the shouting. After going down a few flights of stairs and the water coming up to her calves she saw a horrific sight.
A White Star employee was screaming at a crowd of third class passengers to stop pushing on the gate that trapped them down in the third class section.
"Let them out!" Rose yelled over the employees mantra of, "Not yet! Not yet!"
The man turned around, his scowl softening slightly as he looked at Rose. "Ma'am it's not safe down here." Grabbing her elbow he tried to lead her to the stairs. "You must get to a boat."
"I must get to a boat?" Rose said, grasping the railing of the stairs, her eyes holding a pair of eyes of one of the women trapped behind than horrible gate. "So do they!"
The guy nodded, his scowl returning. "As so they will miss. They will once all the first class passengers have gotten on the boats first."
Rose tried to pull her arm out of his tight hold as she spoke bitterly. "If the first class had it their way the third class passengers would be trapped up down here the whole time, stuck in a sinking ship."
"Ma'am," The guy started but Rose let go of the railing and sent her fist slamming into his nose.
"Let them out!" She demanded, ignoring the pain in her knuckles and the pain of the cold water around her ankles.
Grabbing Rose by the shoulders the man shook her like a rag doll. "Do you not understand!" He screamed at her, his bloody nose inches away from her face. "I have orders to not let them out yet!"
"Well I ordered you to let them out!" Rose yelled back at the man, although she was truly frightened of the look the man held in his eyes. Not even Cal had looked so crazy.
The man laughed, a short bitter laugh that came out more like a 'HA!' than an actual laugh. "Why would I take demands from you? Nothing matters anymore. This ship is going to sink and I'm fairly positive that I'm going to lose my life tonight and you probably will too, along with these people." He gave another 'Ha!' "No one is going to give a rats ass about any of us come a few years, they'll forget about the runaway first class girl, they'll forget about the white star employee doing his job and they most certainly will not care about the third class people trapped inside the ship as it goes down!"
"There family's will care. . ." Rose stared but the man stopped her by pressing her against the wall and thrusting his lips onto hers.
Rose squirmed, trying to wiggle free from the mans tight hold but it was no use. Vicious cries from the third class were background music to the loud pulse that rang in Rose's ear. Rose had never been kissed like this, with such force and dominance. It frightened her, making her forget about the sting from the cold water and the dull ache in her knuckles from punching him earlier.
The mans removed his mouth from hers and took her wrist and positioned them over her head. "No one will care." He spoke rapidly, more to himself than to Rose. "No one will survive to know what I'm going to do. No one will care."
Rose went to scream, hoping someone will hear her and come to the rescue but the man was quick. He brought his lips back down on hers, harder and more urgent this time and Rose thrashed even harder when she felt his tongue slide across her bottom lip.
"Stop," she moaned but with the sudden movement of her lips the man was able to slip his tongue inside her mouth.
As his tongue moved in her mouth Rose bit down on it hard. The man abruptly pulled out and Rose took the moment to grab the pistol from her coat pocket and pointed it at the man.
His brown eyes widened, his face coated with blood around his nose took in the sight of Rose holding the pistol at him. He trembled as he backed up against the ships white walls. He went to grab something out of his pocket, that Rose thought for a second may be a gun.
"I'll do it," She warned, not recognizing the cold voice that came from her lips.
The guy didn't pull out a gun thought but yet a key. He threw it at her and it landed in the water a few feet away from her.
"Please," The man croaked. "We can all have a chance now."
Rose shook her head and whispered. "No one will know." Before pulling the trigger.
The bang echoed through the walls, the explosion that seemed to happen as Rose pulled the trigger spooked her, causing the gun to fall to the floor. Rose backed up against the other wall as the water surrounding her feet turned crimson red.
Screams came from all around Rose as she looked at the dead body now laying slump on the ground and the splattered blood that seemed to be everywhere.
Black dots filled her vision and the world seemed like it was collapsing on top of her. Her knees wobbled before giving out, causing her to fall down into the red water. Pulling her knees up and wrapping her arms around herself, she closed her eyes trying to picture herself anywhere but here.
Screams from her left caused her to look up though. She stared, bleary eyed at the third class passengers as they gripped the metal bars. Some were crying while others were just shaking the gate furiously.
"Please!" A man yelled. He held a little girl tightly to his chest. "Let me get my little girl on a boat!"
Seeing the little girl holding onto her father tightly as her shoulders shook brought Rose back. Her hands shook violently as she moved them through the water, trying to find the key.
The water was rising, something Rose hadn't noticed and was already covering a few of the steps of the stairs she had previously gone down. Rose moved so she was squatting on her knees, her hands touching the bumpy texture of the floor as she searched through the bloody water.
Rose finally touched something metal. Pulling the key out of the water she hesitantly got up from the floor.
"That's it." The man cradling the little girl said calmly to her. "What's your name sweetheart?"
"Rose," Rose croaked out as she stumbled toward them.
"I'm Dursley and this is my little girl Abby. Now Rose I need you to take that key and put it in the lock." Rose nodded and put the key in the lock and turned.
The men in front grabbed the gates and opened it quickly and everyone all at once stampeded out of the gates. Rose leaned against the wall as they passed, her breath labored.
One man stayed back though and grabbed Rose by the hand, pressing something cold into it. Rose looked down to see the pistol in her hand.
"I roomed with Jack." He spoke, his voice gentle but with a faint accent weaved in. "I didn't know him but I overheard him talking with a friend about a beautiful first class women. I assume that was you?"
Rose nodded and he smiled. "And your going to find him?" Rose nodded again and he grabbed her coat pocket, pulling the gun out of her hand and into it. "Don't be afraid to use this then."
He glanced once more at Rose before running up the steps. Rose watched him go before walking down the hallway, the water rising to her thighs.
"Jack!" She called out. "Jack!" She heard noise from her right and ran that way, coming to a halt when she found another group of third class huddled up against a gate.
"Put that down!" A white star employee yelled as three men grabbed a bench and was getting ready to ram that into the gate. "You put that down!"
Rose saw a lock of blond hair from one of the men holding the bench and yelled out Jacks name. He looked up at her, mouth hanging open.
"Rose?" He yelled over the angry yells. He dropped the bench and pushed his way threw the crowd.
He grabbed her and pulled Rose close to him, pressing his cheek against hers. "What the hell are you doing down here Rose." He murmured. "What the hell."
"I love you Jack. I couldn't leave you down here."
He pulled away slightly to look at her. "You have blood all over you Rose."
"It's not mine," She said, pulling Jack back against her. "It's not mine."
Jack didn't ask who's it was but wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close again. "I'll get you out of here Rose."
"I opened the gate over there," Rose said, pointing down the hallway where she had come.
"Fabrizio! Tommy! The gates open over here!" Jack yelled over the crowd and even though he called only his friends names everyone's attention was now on Jack.
Fabrizio and Tommy came crashing through the crowd till they reached them. Jack removed his arm from Rose's waist and held her hand tightly.
"This way," Rose said, starting to run down the hallway with Jack and his friends by her side. The lights flickered and water splashed everywhere as everyone took off after them. It was one of the most crazy and exhilarating moments of Rose's life as she led them out of the sinking ship, going up dozens of stairs and passing floating doors and tables.
Finally after what seemed like hours and just seconds at the same time they emerged onto the deck of the Titanic. Rose's lungs felt like they were about to burst and burn in flames as she came to a halt. Never in her lifetime before had she ran so much.
"The boats! There all gone!" A women screamed looking around wildly for a boat.
Rose caught sight of a white star employee running around the deck, handing out lifejackets.
"Where are the boats?" Rose asked as the man looked up.
"Oh miss," The man gasped. "We have to find you a nurse."
"A nurse!" Rose gasped. "We need a boat!"
The man nodded, taking in the blood coated on Rose's face and the sprinkles of blood on her dress. "There may be some more boats on the other side of the ship if you hurry."
Rose nodded, looking over at the third class group that had followed them up to the deck. They all had found a pile of lifejackets and were pulling them on.
"There may be some open boats on the other side of the deck." Rose said and soon they found themselves running again, dodging other panicked people and finally managing there way over to an open boat.
"Get in!" Tommy ordered, ignoring the white star employee who was in charge of this boat. Fabrizio helped an older lady into the boat as the rest of our group scrambled to get a seat also.
"Pack in tight!" Jack ordered from the side as a husband and his wife stepped in. "Put people on your laps if you have too!"
"Women and children only!" The white star employee yelled. "Get back men! There's a boat for you afterwards."
"Ignore the bastard and get in!" Tommy yelled just as Rose and a few others screamed. Tommy had his back toward the white star employee as he started to help a man get in the boat with his family.
A loud bang, something Rose had already heard tonight, filled the air and Tommy let out a strangled noise before falling backwards and out of the boat.
Rose, who had previously been helping a few kids onto the boat lunged at the white star employee. Pulling the gun out of her coat pocket she pulled the trigger just as the white star employee turned with his gun aimed at her and pulled his trigger also.
As another green SOS firework filled the sky above the sinking ship, a white star employee fell over the deck wall of the Titanic and into the sea and the first class runaway fell to the deck of the Titanic.
"Rose!" Jack screamed, pushing another passenger into the boat and rushing toward her. "No, Rose. No."
Kneeling down beside Rose he grabbed her hand. Blood was thickening over her stomach and Rose gasped, her shoulders shaking.
"Jack," She said. "Get on the boat."
"Oh god Rose," He cried.
"Jack!" Fabrizio yelled, pulling the last of their group onto the boat as the Titanic made a loud groan. "The Titanic is a going!"
The Titanic made another loud groan and a few startled cries filled the sky as another green light rocketed out from the Titanic. Tears ran down Jack's face as he scooped up Rose in his arms. Fabrizio helped Jack onto the boat and then Fabrizio and a few other guys lowered there boat in the water before paddled out as far as the could away from the ship of dreams.
Finally after being a few hundred feet away from the Titanic everyone stopped to rest and watch as the Titanic floundered and fell into the ocean.
Fabrizio patted Jack's shoulder as Jack cradled Rose to his chest. "You've got to let her go." He whispered.
"The boats are going to come and rescue us and they'll save her." Jack said, pulling Rose's coat closer to her body.
"She's dead Jack." Fabrizio said, a few tears leaking from his eyes now. "She's dead but she saved us Jack. She saved your life, just like you saved hers when she wanted to jump from the boat the first time you met her."
Jack cried harder as Fabrizio kept talking. "When the people come to rescue us all they'll do is take Rose away from you. She wouldn't want all those people handling her body Jack."
Fabrizio watched as Jack finally looked up at him, his normally twinkling blue eyes were now lifeless. "Come on Jack." With guidance from Fabrizio, Jack bent over the boat and lay Rose in the water. After kissing her once more on the lips he released his hold on her and watched as her body sunk deeper and deeper into the ocean.
As Fabrizio held his best friend next to him as he sobbed he noticed a few people were crying to. One little girl removed her head from her fathers shoulders and said, "She's our savior."
73 years later
Jack rubbed his eyes and laid back on his pillow. Today had been a long but pleasant day. It was Sunday so his family had come to visit him at the old folks home and after that he had been wheeled in by a nurse to play bunko with his friends.
Now as he laid there, exhaustion hit him, sending aches through his old brittle bones. Jack knew his time was coming shortly to an end and he had accepted that it was his time to go.
He had lived a good life, married a good women and made tons of wonderful children. He had become a well known and successful artist and had seen all he had ever wanted of this earth.
He knew Rose would have been proud of him and as he closed his eyes and relaxed, embracing the thought of passing over with his lips twisted into a smile.
When Jack opened his eyes he found himself at the bottom of the grand staircase in his twenty year old body with people surrounding him. They all clapped and cheered for him. He spot his dear friend Fabrizio waving at him with Helga's arms wrapped around his waist.
Fabrizio had passed away when he was seventy nine after struggling with many heart attacks. Tommy stood next to them, waving at Jack. He smiled at them but then his gaze got caught on the figure standing at the top of the stairs.
She wore the gown that she wore during the sinking, but it held no remains of blood and her red hair wasn't soaking wet as it was the last time he has seen her. He walked up the stairs and Rose turned around.
She smiled at him as she took his hand in hers and brought her other hand to caress his cheek.
"Finally." She whispered, pulling her arm around his neck she brought her lips up to his and kissed him.
"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."