April 14 1913
Rose looked up at Jack from the lifeboat as it got farther and farther away from where Jack was standing. This time she couldn't jump. She had Vanessa in her arms. If she jumped off, she would drop her. Rose stood up. She couldn't stop herself from jumping. She watched as her daughter fell into the north Atlantic.
"Vanessa!" Jack screamed. He jumped in the water without hesitating.
Rose, who was still hanging on to the boat, felt her muscles go weak. She let go of the edge of the boat. And fell into the cold ocean.
She saw Jack and swam to him. He remained motionless, looking down at something.
"What is it Jack?" He didn't answer. She faced him. She could see tears in his eyes and that he was holding something. She looked down, to see their dead daughter in his arms.
"NO!" she screamed. Jack sat up.
"Rose? Rose!" He shook her. "Rose wake up you're dreaming!"
Rose put her head on Jack's shoulder. "Oh, Jack it was horrible. The ship was sinking and you were still on it, so I jumped but I forgot about Vanessa and-"
"Shh. It's alright. Everything's gonna be alright. It wasn't real. It was just a dream."
"Jack?"
"Yes?"
"Could you go get Vanessa for me?"
"Of course." Jack got up and walked to the cot and scooped Vanessa up in his arms, kissed her forehead, and carried her to the bed. He placed her in Rose's arms. She stirred a little, but then slept soundly.
"Jack! She's breathing again!"
Jack let out a little chuckle. "She never stopped, Rose. It was just a dream, remember?"
Rose shuddered at the thought of her dream. She gazed at her sleeping daughter and smiled. "She's so precious. Isn't she, Jack?"
He smiled. "She's beautiful." Rose handed the baby to him and and drifted back into sleep.
Jack placed Vanessa on his chest. "Nessie, could you do me a favor? Don't cause mommy too much trouble. She deserves some peace." He kissed her head and fell asleep with Vanessa sleeping on his chest, her little hands grasping his shirt.
The next morning, Rose woke up before Jack did. She was surprised that Vanessa slept through the entire night. In fact, that was the first time she had ever slept through the night. She wondered why. She looked over to Jack and saw Vanessa sleeping soundly on his chest. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Jack turned his head towards her and smiled.
"Are you watching us sleep?"
"So what if I am? You two are adorable." Jack smiled. "Jack, did you know that Vanessa slept through the entire night?"
Jack was surprised. He realized that they weren't woken up in the middle of the night by their daughter. "Oh Yeah! Maybe now we can sleep more often."
Rose giggled. "We can try."
May 28, 1913
Vanessa was six months that day. Jack and Rose could hardly believe it. It felt like just yesterday, they held their newborn daughter for the first time. Now she was already half a year old. Jack had taken off of work that day, so he could spend time with his little girl.
Rose was making breakfast while Jack was sitting on the couch holding Vanessa. She was quite content in her father's arms. She stared up at him with her big blue eyes. That was enough to melt her father's heart. "I love you, Nessie. I always will."
He's the perfect father Rose thought. "You always knew he would be." She told herself.
Vanessa started to cry. "Awww Nessie, what's wrong?" Vanessa continued to cry. You're not wet. Or…dirty. Are you hungry?" Vanessa kept crying. "I think you are."
"Here, give her to me." Jack placed the baby in Rose's arms. Rose sat in the rocking chair, and nursed her.
July, 1913
It had been two days since Rose stopped breastfeeding. Vanessa was cranky because of it, but she drank the milk from her bottle without a problem.
Rose was at the grocery store while, Jack stayed home with the baby He was sitting at the desk, sketching. He turned around to check on Vanessa, since, the last time he checked, was asleep. She was grabbing the railing of her cot, almost standing.
"Hey Nessa!" Jack walked up to the cot. "What'cha doing?" He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her forehead.
Vanessa giggled "dada!"
Shock ran through Jack's face. "What did you say Ness?"
"dada!" Vanessa clapped her hands.
"Vanessa! You said dada! That's you're first word! Say it again Nessa!"
"dada!" Jack's eyes were filled with tears of joy. He had never been called dada before. Rose called him that once or twice when she was holding Vanessa, but his daughter had never called him that herself.
That's right, Nessie. And dada love's you." Just then Jack heard the door open.
"I'm back!" Rose called.
Jack ran downstairs
"Rose!Rose!" Jack sprinted up to Rose
Rose laughed "What is it, Jack?"
"Say it again, Nessie."
Vanessa laughed and clapped her hands "dada!"
Rose smiled. Jack, that's her first word!"
"I know! It's incredible!"
"Extraordinary!" Jack embraced Rose and Vanessa. His life was finally complete. Without them, he had nothing.
August, 1913
Rose was reading a book. She looked at the clock. I haven't heard Vanessa in over three hours. She thought. She decided to go check on her. She walked into their room and gasped at what she saw. Vanessa had taken her diaper off, and decided to whip it on the wall.
"Vanessa!" Rose screamed trying to hold back her laughter. "What did you do?"
"mama!" Vanessa squealed. Rose picked her up and winced after seeing her dirty hands.
She sighed. "Let's get you cleaned up." Rose took her into the bathroom, and gave her a bath. She wrapped her up in a towel and set her down on her bed. She cleaned up the mess on the wall and then started on the sheets. She washed them in the sink, and hung them up to dry. The sheets wouldn't be dry until the next day, so she would have to sleep with her and Jack in their bed.
When Jack came home, Vanessa was asleep again. This time in Rose's arms. "Jack, you'll never guess what your daughter did today!"
"What?" He was curious.
"Well, she was supposed to be taking her nap. But when I went to check on her, She whiped her diaper on the wall."
Jack raised his eyebrows. "And was it…full?"
"Uh huh."
Jack burst into laughter "Is it still there?"
"No, I washed the wall. And Vanessa. And the sheets, just to be safe, so she's going to have to sleep in our bed with us tonight."
Jack laughed. "Only Nessa." He smiled and shook his head.
That night, the three of them slept in Jack and Rose's bed, Vanessa, sleeping on Jack's chest. That was her favorite place to sleep. Her little hands would grasp his shirt, and her head was turned towards her mother. Jack kissed Vanessa's blond curls and ran his fingers through them. He put his other arm around Rose and sighed. He loved them both with all his heart. They were his life. He looked at Rose. She was fast asleep. What more could he ask for? His life was perfect. Jack slowly drifted to sleep
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