Heya this is my first Titanic fanfic so I hope you enjoy. This is how I think that the movie should have ended, and it will be in Rose's POV except for a couple of paragraphs explaining a few other things.
Disclaimer: I do not own Titanic.
Hope you enjoy!
A red haired woman stood on the deck in the arms of a man, his sandy blonde hair reaching his bright blue eyes, which stared into a pair of darker blue eyes. You could tell they were first and third class from their attire, but that didn't stop them being together. The man leant forward capturing the woman in a passionate kiss.
I stood there my lips against his as the ship beneath us started to shake. Thus our kiss was broken, and we turned around just in time to see a great mountain of ice clip the side of the deck and shatter it with icicles. Jack managed to pull me out of harms way.
We ran towards the side of the ship, just where the iceberg had been and looked over to see the oily water below. He bent down as far as he could to look.
"Look's okay. I don't see anything," he states his gaze still downward.
"Could it have damaged the ship?" I asked worried
"It didn't seem like much of a bump. I'm sure we're okay," he replied trying to reassure me.
I saw a piece of ice lying on the floor and decided to put it down his back. I tired to contain myself, but once Jack yelled out as the frozen water hit his warm back, I burst into laughter.
"That's it you're going overboard," he joked with me, I only laughed and screamed no.
We walked hand in hand down the deck, when we were passed by the captain surrounded by some crew members.
"Can you shore up?" he asks them.
"Not unless the pumps get ahead," replies one of them.
"Have you seen the mail hold?" asked the Captain.
"Yes Sir, but she's already underwater," another one replies.
"This is bad," I hear Jack say.
"We have to tell mother and Cal," I say pulling him in the direction of my stateroom, but Jack pulls me in another and quickly takes off his coat. When we finally find a crew member he gives the coat to him it to the man saying that he had found it.
As we walk away I give him a questioning look, he smiles at me.
"I borrowed it when I came looking for you earlier, remember in the gym?" he tells me. I nod feeling as though that was days ago.
Meanwhile a man named Thomas Andrews rushes into the chartroom holding the blueprints of Titanic under one arm. He quickly places it on the table and stretches it out, his hands shaking.
"Water 14 feet above the keel in ten minutes…in the forepeak…in all three holds…and in boiler room six," Mr. Andrews tells the officers in the room, pointing to the specific places.
"When can we get underway dammit," says a frustrated Mr. Ismay. Captain Smith glares at him before returning his gaze to Mr. Andrews.
"That's five compartments! She can stay afloat with the first four compartments breached. But not five. Not five. As she goes down by the head the water will spill over the tops of the bulkheads…at E Deck…from one to the next…back and back. There's no stopping it."
"What about the pumps-"
"They buy you time…but minutes only. From this moment, no matter what we do, Titanic will founder."
"But this ship can't sink!" says an astonished Mr. Ismay.
"She is made of iron, sir. I assure you, she can. And she will. It is a mathematical certainty."
Captain Smith looks like he has been punched in the gut. "How much time?" he asked staring at Mr. Andrews.
"An hour, two at most," he quietly says.
"And how many aboard, Mr. Murdoch?"
"Two thousand two hundred souls aboard, sir," he solemnly replies.
Captain Smith stands there and tries to take all of this in, it looks like he won't be retiring after all. He turns to stare at Ismay. "I believe you may get your headlines, Mr. Ismay," anger clearly detectable in his voice.
The two of us walk through the ship our hands intertwined. As we are nearing my stateroom I could sense that Jack was nervous.
"It's alright, they have to find out sooner or later," I tell him hoping that will relax him. He smiles slightly at me and nods.
When we reach the corridor leading to my stateroom, we see Mr. Lovejoy standing there a smug look on his face.
"We've been waiting for you miss," he tells me as we pass him.
We enter the room to see my mother in her dressing gown, her hair alike in colour to mine out of it's perfectly coiffed bun pacing the room, and Cal over in the corner holding a glass of brandy. I see him exchange looks with Mr. Lovejoy I also see an officer in here but I am distracted when my mother starts to yell at me.
"Where have you been, do you know what time it is? And why have you brought this, this boy up here with you?!" She shouts at me.
"That's not important right now mother, we have a crisis on our hands," I tell her trying to sound calm as I feel Jack give my hand a reassuring squeeze.
"What kind of crisis could possibly be this big that you have to come back here so late and with him?" this time shouts Cal walking towards us.
"The ship has hit an iceberg," Jack says simply.
They both look at him for the first time actually regarding him as a person and not filth like everyone seems to think he is.
"What?" My mother asks, a confused and worried look on her face.
"Mother the ship has hit an iceberg, and from what we've heard she's already sinking," I try to say calmly without going into a panic myself as it finally hits me.
I see my mother rush into her room, and I assume she has gone to get dressed.
Just then a man enters the room and the officer leaves, and by his uniform I can see that he's a member of the crew.
"I've been told by the Captain to please put your lifebelts on and head up to the boat deck. Dress warmly it's quite cold out there, may I suggest top coats and hats," he tells us bringing out the deathly white things from the wardrobe.
He offers one to Cal who refuses one as do I, he doesn't offer one to my lover as he can see by his clothing that he is of lower ranking this makes me angry.
"Excuse me," he turns round to face me.
"How come you didn't offer one to this gentleman here?'
"It's okay, really it is. I'm used to it," Jack says with a smile, but I can see by the look in his eyes that he is not.
"No, I want this gentleman here to answer the question."
Just then my mother comes out and sees that I am shouting at this man.
"Calm down dear, I'm so sorry that she's causing a fuss. Hand me one of those please and put your coat on dear its probably cold out there," my mother orders as I trudge off to find my pink coat with the intricate embroidery at the hem, sleeves and around the collar.
We then start to make our way towards the boat deck our hands intertwined Mother and Cal giving us looks every now and again, as did many other first class people. I could tell that Cal was furious but I didn't care I was happy with this man, the happiest I've been in a few years.
As we are standing near the bottom of the Grand Staircase, waiting for I don't know what, I see a dazed Mr. Andrews walk past us and is about to make it up the stairs. I follow him bringing Jack with me.
"Mr. Andrews, Mr. Andrews," I call as he turns around and sets his dazed eyes onto me.
"I saw the iceberg and I see it in your eyes, now please tell me the truth," I ask him. He looks around as if savouring every last image of this ship.
"The ship will sink."
"You're certain?" He nods.
"An hour, maybe two all of this will be at the bottom of the Atlantic. But tell only who you must I don't want to be responsible for a panic. And get to boat, you remember what I told you about the boats." I nod and turn to look at Jack the worry clear in both our eyes.
When we finally reached the lifeboats Molly Brown was there to greet us. We stand on the deck in the cold night amongst many other people, watching as people get onto the lifeboats.
"Will the lifeboats be seated according to class, I hope they're not too crowded," I heard my mother say with a laugh. This enraged me, did she not care for anybody but herself.
I grabbed her and turned her around to face me, "Oh mother, shut up! Don't you understand the water is freezing and there aren't enough boats, not enough by half, half the people on this ship are going to die," I told her, her face now supporting a shocked look.
"Not the better half." Jack and I turn to face Cal, and I can see from the corner of my eyes anger written on Jack's features. "You know it's a pity I didn't keep that drawing it'd be worth a lot more by morning."
"You unimaginable bastard," I say in a quiet voice laced with anger. I felt so furious with him; he was implying and combining it with his previous statement that Jack was going to die. It was then I realised that Jack wouldn't be able to get onto the lifeboat. The cries of the crew members finally made sense; 'Women and children only!' And since he was third class it wasn't likely he would get into a boat anyway.
I looked away from Cal, my gaze turning to see Molly Brown helping my mother get into the boat, while Cal asked if he could get into the boat. I then felt Jack grab my hand and I turned round to look at him. I looked at his handsome face and into those piercing blue eyes, love for me shining in them. I hoped my eyes were saying the same thing. I turned back to my mother before looking back at Jack. I now knew that I couldn't leave the man I loved to die alone on this ship.
"Get into the boat," she ordered obviously recovered from my previous outburst, I remained still clutching Jack's hand.
"Rose, get into the boat!" she ordered more forceful this time.
I couldn't, I just couldn't. If I left Jack he might not be able to get into a lifeboat and he might…don't think about that now. I would never get to see Jack again, and my mother would control me for the rest of my life like she has done for the past 17 years.
I gave her one more glance before saying, "Goodbye Mother," and walking off my hand not letting go of his once, I could hear her yelling my name in the distance, suddenly we stopped. I turned around to see Cal grabbing onto Jack's shirt.
"Let go of him," I shouted, but of course Cal didn't listen to me, which didn't surprise me as he never had. They then started to argue and he let go of Jack's shirt. I could hear my name mentioned a couple of times and Cal got closer and closer until I saw him raise his fist to hit Jack, when he hit him first. I had always wanted to do that, but never had the courage and was so happy that Jack had done it. He grabbed my hand and we ran, but we were stopped again by someone grabbing my arm.
"Let go of me!" I shouted.
"No, I said no!" Cal shouted his grip getting tighter as I struggled in his arms as well as seeing a furious Jack in the corner of my eye getting ready to hit him again. But suddenly his grip lessened and I looked up.
"What are you going to be with him? To be a whore to a gutter rat?" he sneered.
"I'd rather be his whore than your wife," I snarled at him and tried to run only for him to cling tighter to my arm. Jack went to hit him again when I spat in his face and we ran off. Jack turned back to smile at me and I smiled back, glad that he had taught me that.
When we finally made off the boat deck Jack took me into his arms and cradled me. I felt the love that only Jack could make me feel well up inside of me. As we parted I felt as if I had shed the last chains that had bound me to 1st class society and we ran off together.
We ran through throngs of people all shouting and screaming for help, for a way out. All the faces mixed with worry and sorrow but I knew all these people wouldn't be saved and it brought tears to my eyes. When we finally made it up to another part of the deck, the people were still shouting, the officers were still yelling orders and music was faintly playing in the background. Jack led me to another lifeboat this time with people from 2nd and 3rd class.
I looked to see a couple like us kiss before they were rudely torn apart, and the woman helped into the lifeboat by Second Officer Lightoller. Then the yells of the officers could be heard again, 'Women and children only. We will only be needing women and children.' I felt my heart sink just like this ship was going to. I turned round to look at him a pleading look in my eyes as if pleading not to make me get onto this lifeboat without him.
"I'm not going without you," I said.
"No, you have to, go now," he says back.
"No Jack," I reply not wanting to leave him alone.
"Get into the boat Rose," he pleads.
"No Jack," I repeat, hoping he will let me stay with him.
"Yes! Get into the boat," he tells me the desperation clear in his voice
"No Jack, not without you," I tell him trying not to cry.
"Go on I'll get the next one," he said in an attempt to persuade me, even though he and I both knew there wasn't going to be a next one.
"No, not without you," I told him feeling the tears ready to fall.
"Look I'll be alright. Listen I'll be fine. I'm a survivor alright. Don't worry about me. Now go on, get on," he told me, tears gathering in his eyes.
I could see him fighting back these tears as he kissed me, one last kiss where he showed me all his love and passion before we were rudely ripped apart. We fumble for each other's hand and grabbed it before we can no longer touch.
I savoured the feeling of his lips on mine as the boat jumped before we started to get closer to that oily black water below. I looked up at his angelic face trying to remember every feature as this might be the last time I ever see him. A distress rocket went off above him, the whiteness making it look like he was an angel. Well he was he was my guardian angel. I could still see the tears in his eyes threatening to spill, when I tasted something salty and realized that I was crying.
Splash! The noise reached my ears and I looked around to see that we were finally at sea level. But all I could see was blackness around me; the blackness of the night and the blackness of the sea. I quickly looked up to see him still there, he was trying to smile for me, he was trying to be brave for me, but inside I knew that he was as scared as I was.
I started to shiver and pulled the coat tighter around me, rubbing my arms as well, but then stopped myself and looked up again only to see him gone. This disappointed me but I knew he couldn't stay there forever. Someone tapped my shoulder and I turned round to see a woman with curly dark red hair tied in a bun, and a kind face handing me a flask which I presumed had whisky in it.
"It'll take the chill off," she said in her thick Irish brogue. I took a couple of mouthfuls the fiery liquid travelling down my throat before returning it to and thanking her.
I sat there not knowing what to do with one name, one face, one person on my mind. I stared at the ship and now I could really see that it was tilted.
What felt like hours but in fact had been mere minutes the stern section of the ship began sticking up in the air as if trying to reach the heavens.
'Jack could be up there' or 'What happens if Jack jumped into the water' was all that was running through my mind. I wanted to turn away from the scene of horror in front of me but I couldn't.
Suddenly a few gunshots rang out through the night, and we looked around wondering where they had come from. But a gasp escaped my lips as I saw the stern section begin to fall backwards before it finally split crushing all those innocent people beneath it. I felt hot tears run down my cold face as all those people's lives where lost in an instant.
It then started to come back up level until it was vertical. I wondered if it would stay like that, giving the people on top a place to stay until help came; or if it would eventually sink. My question was answered a few minutes later, as it slowly started to descend getting faster and faster as it filled up with water. I could see tiny figures of people falling off not being able to hold on any longer, as well as people around the stern section swimming away not wanting to get pulled down by the suction.
Finally the great leviathan named Titanic was lost beneath the waves. I felt so upset to see such an amazing ship that had been my home for the past few days die like she did.
Suddenly screams hit me like a wave, the people in the freezing waters who couldn't get in a lifeboat screaming because of the cold; screaming to be saved. I covered my ears trying to block out the terrifying sound out but I couldn't. I then realised that we couldn't leave those poor souls out there to die like that, we had to save them. I stood up and people looked at me in surprise as the boat rocked a little.
"We have to go back," I shouted.
"No, they'll swamp us," I heard someone yell from a different boat.
"No you don't understand we can't leave those people out there to die. Your husbands could be out there; don't you want to save them?" I could hear women quietly sobbing, wanting to save them but not having the courage to stand up.
"Don't you understand what I said they'll swamp the boats bringing us down with them," I realized that it was an officer yelling this at me.
"Is that all you care about saving yourself, how would you like it if that was you out there and we didn't come to save you," he didn't have an answer for that.
"I agree with her," I hear a welsh voice shout out, which caused me to turn around. I see Fifth Officer Lowe also standing up in his boat torch in hand, as it came closer towards ours.
He orders us to tie two boats together so women can get from one to the other to give us more room in his boat. Once all the women are safely in one boat I climb over to his boat.
"Excuse Miss, what are you doing?"
"I'm coming with you," I simply say making myself comfortable.
"No you have to go back; a young lady like yourself shouldn't have to see this," he says trying to dissuade me from coming.
"I don't care, I want to help and to do that I have to be here," he seems to be satisfied with my answer and tells the other two crew members in the boat to row ahead. As we begin to row towards them, and the talking between us stops I realize now that the cries for help have almost ceased.
As we near the people a strange silence and feeling covers me. As we finally reach them I gasp seeing how deathly still they all are. It seems that they've all froze to death, all been frozen in time. I understand now that, that silence is the silence of death. I look around for anyone alive when I hear Officer Lowe say,
"We waited too long." I look over to see a mother carrying her baby in her arms both blue from the cold and hot tears run down my frozen face.
The eyes of the dead look at me as if accusing me of their death and I try not to look at their eyes while trying to look around for anyone alive.
"IS ANYONE ALIVE OUT THERE CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?" shouts Lowe and silence is his answer.
But then the sound of splashing reaches my ears. I turn to my left to see someone hugging a piece of driftwood for dear life, while trying to wave at us to catch our attention.
We row as fast as we can towards him and wrap him in blankets from head to toe trying to keep him warm. We found another four people and had almost come out of the other end of all the bodies when something caught my eye. I grab the torch and shine it over to where I saw the movement. In the distance I see someone, a male sitting on a piece of debris waving at us. He looks familiar but at this point I feel depressed that my love hadn't made it that I half-heartedly grab Officer Lowe's attention.
We again row over to another survivor but as we get closer, I can see the face clearer and clearer and as we finally get close enough I shout his name. He looks wearily at me before weakly smiling at me. Tears again fall down my pale cheeks as they pull him into the boat. I pull off the blanket I am wearing and wrap it round him.
As I lay next to him I can see the frost in his hair and rimming his face which is ghostly white from being so close to death. He holds my hand in his frozen one but I don't care, as long as he's here. Eventually his breathing slows and I panic before realizing that he has fallen asleep.
Dawn's light staring at me in the face causes me to crack my eyes open. My hand feels numb and I look down realizing where I am and what has happened. A smile comes to my lips as I watch Jack sleep peacefully. He is still very pale but has regained some of his colour. I look up and in the distance I spot a ship which has come to rescue us. I am thankful.
As soon as we board the rescue ship Carpathia, Jack is taken to the infirmary where I sit by his bedside until he awakens three days later. Once he is finally awake I tell him we are docking today, he smiles at me before leaning in to kiss me. I love the feeling of him against me. Once we part he hugs me and whispers in my ear,
"Thank you for saving me. I love you," this brings tears to my eyes and fills my heart with love and I reply,
"I love you too," before kissing him again.
Later that day we stand on the deck, waiting to disembark while staring up at the Statue of Liberty. Our hands are linked as we stand in the rain not caring that we are getting soaked, but look to our right when the rain stops momentarily. There stands an officer holding an umbrella in one hand and a clipboard in the other.
"Can I take your names please?" he asks.
"Dawson, Jack and Rose Dawson," Jack states as I look towards him feeling honoured and I kiss him.
Once we are finally on American soil I realize that no matter where we go, no matter what we do, we will always be survivors of the Titanic. And even though it was a terrifying experience I was proud to be on that fine ship; as it was called the Ship of Dreams and it was it really was. Also the man I love taught me something very important which I intend to carry on doing; to make each day count as you never know what hand you're going to get dealt next.
Can you exchange one life for another? A caterpillar turns into a butterfly, if a mindless insect could do it, why couldn't I? Was it any more unimaginable than the sinking of the Titanic?
We had our arms round each other's waists walking down the street, our whole new lives ahead of us…together.
Hope you liked it. Just to let you know the last two quotes before the ending sentence (can you exchange....sinking of the Titanic) were from cut scenes of the Titanic, I just thought I would include them in my story, so I don't own them. Don't forget to R&R. Also I may make another chapter that describes this but in Jack's POV...
Ja ne (see ya)