AN: Thanks for the reviews everyone. I've decided now to begin every chapter with a quotation or film-sequence in this story hope you like it.

Reviews of course are always welcome.

So here's chapter two.


How long have you searched for me?
From the outset of all love…–
And now that you found me…How long are you staying?
Until all love ends…

The Thief of Bagdad/1940


Life tends to be an adventure for someone growing up. It tends to be harsh to someone reaching adulthood and it tends to be cruel to someone falling in love.

Rose Dewitt Bukater was a girl of barely sixteen, when she got engaged to Caledon Hockley a man nearly twice as old. Sure enough the engagement itself was no big deal – yes indeed, it was big in the sense of money, but it wasn't one of surprise – both were of the upper class, they were expected to eventually find it each other.

Rose's mother – Ruth – was on cloud nine, Cal was her illustration of a perfect son-in-law and soon they reached an agreement.

Reached an agreement – how that sounded – like she was some pawn in a shop, a picture sold at Sotheby's…

Not soon after and the jewellery, the clothes and accessories Cal had laid out in front of her – they were wearying her.

What use of getting all these precious items, when she wasn't even allowed to wear them, when she wanted?

Cal was controlling her life already and she wasn't even married to him.

Rose Dewitt Bukater had ever been a very obedient child – well-educated, yes, but not always doing what others expected from her. Yet she had tried to please her family with the engagement. The sixteen-year-old vowed that her mother – especially her mother – should be proud of her.

Not only that, but in truth the debts were looming above her head as well and carefree as she was panic began to rise in her mind too, when she realized that she might have to continue her existence as a seamstress.

'What's a seamstress?' she had asked her mother and the look on her face had told her that this was something no one wanted to become.

No, she never wanted to be poor. She had seen beggars on the streets and frankly she didn't want to switch her life with them.

If Caledon Hockley was her the thorp in the rose-bush she was willing to take that risk.

After all other than his attitude to control everything around him, he was in fact quite charming. Wasn't he? He had paid for a trip to Europe, had taken them to museums, hadn't he?

Rose more or less successfully had convinced herself that this marriage was indeed what she wanted.

Yes, she was happy with Cal.

She was willing to share her life with him.

No, it wasn't her mother's doing.

Rose had started to be über-overjoyed, scarring with her continuing smiling even her otherwise delighted mother.

Rose had been on the top of the world refusing to let reality, the real life with Cal take the best of her. Ruth meanwhile had asked herself, when and where was the best time to tell her daughter the inescapable. Finally in Rome she had taken her aside and just decided to do it now.

After all Rose had to know.

Although Ruth had expected that it would be difficult, she hadn't at all awaited that reaction from her daughter. Rose hadn't even turned white or fainted or whatever else one could've foreseen, she had simply mumbled an Aha and retreated to her room.

'Did you understand what I told you?' Ruth had asked her again following her to her room.

'Of course, mother.'

Ruth hadn't really liked the smile on her face.

When her mother had been gone, Rose had finally really come to her senses. So she and Cal should…they would really…and alone…? Wondering about it now, it seemed not only strange to her, but funny too…certainly her mother had made a joke.

Her mother wasn't good at making jokes.

However, though still pretending, Ruth had known that something had changed in her daughter.

Maybe it would've been better, if she hadn't told her at all? The way Rose had eyed Cal afterwards was so different from the one she had eyed him before – it was the thrill of anticipation being replaced by the sense of duty being replaced by the intuit of fear.

Ruth had begun to ask herself, if her daughter and Cal…but she had refused that image before her eyes. They made up a great pair – point. Her own marriage had been no heaven concerning it as well. Women simply needed to get through this point.

In fact after a while it had even become enjoyable…

Yes for Rose it would be too.

Just that it wasn't as simple as Ruth had wanted to portray it. Her daughter's idealistic childhood world had been shattered and there was no way it would ever be retrieved.

The top of the world had retreated to a mere commitment to her family name.

Rose however, had still been in favour of the marriage, once again thinking of money issue. The delicate Rose hadn't been able to place herself next to beggars and thieves.

Moreover her mother had persuaded her that those people were not only dirty in appearance, they were so too in character.

'You know what they do to a girl like you?'

Rose had shaken her head, but still had received no answer.

But still…she and Cal…?

Was it really love she had been feeling for him?

Who cares about love…

Marriage is not about love…

Rose had again successfully convinced herself that love didn't really matter and that Cal was her idea of a husband whatever her inner voice had told her.

Until…

Now until she had met Jack Dawson and her world had been shattered again…

He was poor, his was uncouth, his was dirty even, but what he did to her – with her it wasn't at all what she had expected. It wasn't what her mother had said to her that he would.

Had her mother been lying?

Jack had proved to be more of a gentleman than Cal or anyone else ever could.

He had taken away her fear of the unknown – most importantly this one.

How could she have ever thought that she could've done it with Cal?

Rose had shuddered inwardly once more.

More important however, she had decided for herself that love and happiness weren't two different things and that she would settle for no less than a marriage based on love.

'When this ship docks, I'm going to disembark with you.'

That day on the Titanic with Jack smiling down at her in wonder and – yes adoration and love – she had again been on top of the world.