I've been wanting to write a Titanic story FOREVER! I love love love Jack & Rose! Anyway, here's my take on the whole "Jack Lives!" idea. Cause he should've. This will just be a series of oneshots at varying points in their lives together. Obviously, I don't own Titanic or Jack or Rose, or anything recognizable from the movie. Sadly. Ah well. Enjoy & Review!

Rose's Nightmare

I never knew one could be this cold. My dress, my coat, my shoes, my hair; all thoroughly soaked through with the freezing, salty water of the Atlantic. I could feel the ice crystals forming and clinging to my eyelashes, my hair growing heavy with them. I look to Jack, eyes closed as he leans his arms on the door I'm floating on. Our hands are tightly clasped and I can feel the quick puffs of air that pass his chapped blue lips dancing upon my skin. He is shaking quite uncontrollably now. I've no idea how long we've been out here. Drifting. Waiting. My body's begun to go numb from the cold. I can only imagine the pain Jack is experiencing, half of him submerged in the frigid ocean. It seems like a lifetime ago when he warned me that the water was so cold it was as though knives were stabbing you all over. He had been right. When the Titanic sank, pulling Jack and I down with it, I immediately felt the icy water biting into my skin. I could not fathom how Jack was enduring such torture. I'd long since asked him, begged him, to trade places with me, but he was having none of it. Oh Jack. My sweet Jack. I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his frozen fingers. A hint of the smile I so loved ghosted over his pale features. Though his eyes remained closed, I smiled in return, marveling at this man who'd saved me in every way possible, more times than I could count. More than I could ever possibly repay. I could only hope my love was enough, for truly, my heart was his. Once we reached America, for any doubt in that regard was not a thought I could entertain, I'd be sure to prove my love to him each and every day. Nothing would, nothing could, part us. Now that I'd found him, I was never letting go.

Sometime later, after floating for God knows how long, I heard a noise. Someone was shouting. I looked up, craning my neck to see who it was, expecting another poor soul adrift like we were, crying out for help that I was beginning to believe would never come. But I was wrong. So very wrong. A flash momentarily blinded me before a man's face appeared, kneeling near the edge of a life boat, drawing ever closer. "Jack," I said, my voice cracking, hardly able to speak past a whisper, "Jack, we're saved! They're coming back for us!"

But I received no reply. I gave his hands a gentle shake to rouse him, assuming he had fallen asleep. Jack remained horribly still. It was then I realized I could no longer feel his breath lightly caressing my fingers. "Jack, please," I begged, still desperately trying to rouse my love. But I knew. Much as my heart may not want to admit to it, I knew Jack, my sweet, darling Jack, was gone. "Jack," I sobbed, clutching his lifeless hands tighter as I lay my forehead to rest on his. "Don't leave me alone. Please, Jack! Come back to me. Jack!"

"Rose! Wake up, Rose!"

My eyes flew open to see my husband's beloved face above me, his brow furrowed deep in concern. "Jack?" I choked, tears still streaming down my cheeks from my nightmare.

His handsome features softened into a smile, and I heard him sigh when he pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Yes Rose, I'm right here."

A quiet sob of relief fell from my lips as Jack gathered me into his arms. He tucked my head beneath his chin and leaned back against the headboard of our bed. I snuggled close against his chest, the strong beat of his heart echoing in my ears brining fresh tears to my eyes. Thank God above I hadn't truly lost him that dreadful night. But I knew my nightmare very easily could have become reality.

Jack gently shushed me, rocking me back and forth a bit as his fingers stroked my fiery curls.

"Oh Jack," I whimpered, clutching fistfuls of his nightshirt. "It was so terrible! We were back in the water, and it was cold, so very cold, but when they came to rescue us, you were... you had..."

"Hush Rose," he soothed, and I felt his soft warm lips once again on my forehead. "Everything's alright. It was just another dream. We're just fine."

"I know but... it was so real," I shuddered, smoothing my hand over his chest and squeezing his upper arm. I had to touch him. I needed to physically feel him beside me.

"What happened, Rose?" he asked softly. "Tell me what really happened that night when the boat came back."

"Why?" I frowned.

"It'll chase the nightmare away. Please, just humor me."

I sighed, nodding into his chest. I bit my lower lip, recalling the memory. "You were unconscious. You wouldn't wake, but you were breathing, albeit just barely. I saw the officer's whistle and knew it was our only chance. I slid off the door, wrapped one arm around you, and began to swim," I said, once again feeling the icy cold salt water assaulting me, the knives jabbing at my skin, and Jack's limp body heavy in my weakened grasp. But I was determined to save him as he had me. I would not live this life without him. My hand subconsciously gripped his arm tighter as I continued, "I blew on the whistle until they turned around and came right up to us. They wrapped us in blankets and we lay together in the life boat. I don't believe I've ever prayed so hard as I did while waiting for you to wake up. And you did, just after we boarded the Carpathia."

I could feel Jack's smile. "That's right."

Placing a kiss to his neck, I looked up at him, into his eyes that were as deep and clear as the ocean that haunted my dreams.

"You kept your promise, Rose. You saved me," he said, placing a hand against my cheek, his thumb wiping away the last of my tears. "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Everything's alright, I promise."

Our lips met, kissing as we often did, as though it was the first and the last time we'd ever get the chance to do so. "I love you, Jack," I whispered into the kiss.

He smiled against my lips. "I love you, Rose."

When we finally broke apart, I cuddled up against him again, his warm embrace chasing the last of my nightmare away.

"Sleep, Rose," he whispered, strong arms tightening around me. "I'll never let you go."

I closed my eyes, and I heard him begin to sing our song, "Come Josephine in my flying machine, Going up she goes, Up she goes..."