A/N: Happy Titanic Day, everyone! Well, that's what I've christened it, anyway. 96 years. Wow. I wanted to write something as a sort of tribute to the event, and thus was born my second Titanic fic, first in over a year. It's going to be a two-shot from first Jack's, then Rose's POV during the sex-scene in the car. Nothing graphic at all, because it's mostly reflections. Still T.

Disclaimer: I don't own Titanic. I just love it.

Jack

It couldn't be possible. How could I deserve something so beautiful, so pure, so perfect?

From the moment I first saw Rose, I was drawn to her. She was the most gorgeous creature I ever laid eyes on. But she wasn't happy. It didn't take a dolt to notice there was no smile on her face, flushing her cheeks or brightening those wonderful eyes. She was rather the tragic beauty. And she could never be mine. We were separated by class, and when she first saw me watching her, she gave me only a glance of disdain. I knew right from the start I wasn't, and could never be, good enough for her. But that didn't stop the daydreaming.

If only…

And when she ran past me, sobbing, her dress flying out behind her and her red hair loose, I couldn't just let her jump. I mean, even if it hadn't been her, I would have intervened, but it was her. And that one little encounter made all the difference. The difference between life and death, for one. At first, she didn't want to listen to me. She pretended to be haughty, but I could tell it was an act. She was trembling and sweating, and it was far too cold on deck to be from heat. The truth was that she was terrified. I'd never saved anyone from suicide before, but I could tell. And she wanted me to save her. When I told her I would jump after her, I meant it. I would. And that one act of kindness from a total stranger was enough to make her trust me and allow me to help her back onboard.

As I learned more about Rose, I realized why she was unhappy. Her first-class life prevented her from doing everything she wanted to do and being everything she wanted to be. She didn't have to tell me she didn't love her fiancée – that much was apparent when I first saw them together. But I was happy to see that although she was raised like a proper young lady, she had a mind of her own. She barely flinched when I showed her my graphic drawings, she didn't quail from the thought of a roller coaster, and she was eager to learn how to spit "like a man." And boy, could she drink! Rose certainly wasn't another "pretty little rich girl."

For a few hours, I thought I had lost her. She didn't want to talk to me, despite how much fun we'd had together. Despite the longing in her eyes, in her movements. The small spasms she made in my direction before reluctantly pulling away. She insisted she was fine, but I knew better. Heck, she'd already told me how she really felt. How could she think she'd be able to cover it up? But then – something made her come back to me. I had never been so happy. And I'd never seen her so happy – she could fly free, at last.

Even though she had opened up to me in so many ways, I was still a bit shocked when she asked me to draw her. Naked. Of course I had seen girls naked before, even pretty ones. But I couldn't remember any as wonderful as Rose, and certainly no one I had cared about this much. It was hard to stay objective as I drew her – I desired her, but I held back. The amused smile that twitched constantly at the edges of her mouth showed me she knew. And better yet, she seemed happy at the thought rather than appalled.

In the past two days, I had become closer to Rose than I could have ever dreamed. From mere glances to awkward talks, then to drawings in the nude...she had captured my heart in the span of such little time. And now, here we were – snuggled together in some unfortunate soul's car, in the storage compartment of the grandest ship of all time.

I knew what came next. Her green eyes gazed trustingly up at me, holding nothing back. I took a deep breath. I knew I was ready, but was she? Would I be making a mistake if I pushed things along?

"Are you nervous?" I whispered.

She smiled.

A/N: Hope you liked it. The second part will come either later today or tomorrow.