Title: A Second Chance
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I admit it, I don't own them! They belong to James' C and always will :-)
Summary: A Titanic 'Jack lives' type fic. You know the deal!
Warnings: None.
Feedback: Always appreciated!
Fandom: Titanic
Genre: General/Drama/Jack lives!
Author's Note: This was my first ever fic, and it's a story I first started close to two years ago. I've decided to put it up here because my Titanic site is down and I'd hate to cause people to miss out on the dubious pleasure of reading it!
Plus, I'd like some feedback!
Chapter One
"Water that cold, like right
down there... it hits you like a thousand knives, stabbing you all over your body'
The oddly familiar voice cut
through the fog of sleep and Rose's eyes flew open, her heart racing wildly. She had
no idea where she was, yet strange, confused memories danced at the corners of her mind.
Images she didn't understand-frightening memories of cold, darkness and terrible cries for
help. Rose looked down and realised her hands were shaking and she pulled the blankets
closer for comfort, noticing with a start the unfamiliar clothing and the bruises and
scratches on her arms. What had happened? What was she doing here? She glanced around the
unfamiliar room, and felt a pang of fear, curiously accompanied by an inexplicable sense
of sadness.
Rose shook her head, trying to
clear her mind. A name sprung to her lips, almost involuntarily "Jack?"
she whispered, questioningly. Suddenly, she heard her own voice ringing in her ears...
"I trust you." And suddenly it all came back to her. Jack...
The water had been so cold
colder than she had ever imagined possible. The darkness was filled with the terrifying
sounds of people locked in a terrible struggle for survival. But most of all, what came
flooding back in painful clarity was the memory of her useless efforts to hold onto Jack's
hand and of the terrible moment when she realised that she could not see him in the
seething water.
Suddenly, Rose could cope no
longer. Almost without realising, a scream escaped from her lips as the
horrors of the night came flooding back.
The door flew open with a bang, and
a concerned, yet kindly face peered around. In her mid forties, with a solid build
and round face reddened by sun and wind, Alice Barnett was just the kind of comforting
presence that Rose needed. Yet right now her face was filled with concern.
"What's the matter,
dearie?" she asked kindly, approaching the bed. Rose drew back as she approached, her
confusion growing. She seemed trapped in the most awful nightmare; full of people and
memories she couldn't comprehend. The ship.. Jack... something awful had happened...
something she remembered only in terrifying snatches.
Alice noticed Rose's hands shaking,
and smiled warmly at her. "Do you know where you are, lovey?"
Wincing at her over familiarity,
Rose couldn't help but wonder what her mother would think of this woman. Coarse, vulgar,
ill bred. Rose could hear Ruth's words ringing in her ears. Her mother where
was she? The confusion filled Rose's mind again, and she grabbed the blankets for support.
Then, as her head cleared, she realised that this woman had asked her a question.
Where was she? That was a good
question indeed although to Rose's feverish mind it sounded like a line from a novel
she might have read as a young girl. Looking up at the friendly face before her,
Rose decided that she had to trust this woman, at least for the time being.
'I'm Alice Barnett, nurse onboard
Carpathia' she replied cheerfully. "It's April 17 although I don't suppose you
remember much of the past few days' she continued, barely masked her concern.
Rose looked up at her, bewildered.
"I...' she began hesitantly. Then, finding strength, she realised she had to know the
truth. Looking Alice in the eye, she continued in a clear voice. "There was a man
named Jack Dawson on board.,," she trailed of, realising that Alice had heard
countless of these queries over the past two days.
Alice's eyes grew sadder, and she
squeezed Rose's hand comfortingly. "I'll do my best" she replied.
