Usual Legal Mumbo-Jumbo:

Alright! We all know the drill, so there's no need to go into a great deal of detail here. After all, disclaimers such as this are the literary equivalent of a speed bump at the end of your driveway. So let's just get through this quick and clean, and then move on to the reason that we're all really here.

Titanic is the sole property of James Cameron, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and about a half-dozen or so other production studios who managed to snag a piece of that action back in the late nineties. I personally don't own squat, so if you're ticked off and looking to sue, good luck, 'cause you can't get blood from a turnip. I hope you hire an expensive lawyer and run up a huge legal bill, dip wad! (Gawd, being broke can be so liberating!)

Beyond that, anything not found in the movie or on the ocean floor could be construed as mine, I suppose. Although I'm sure there's some legal-eagle out there somewhere who would relish the opportunity to argue otherwise.

In short, the movie belongs to Jimmy Cameron, the profits belong to the studios, the Titanic belongs to the ages, this software belongs to Bill Gates, my kidneys belong to my bookie, and all your base belong to us!

Onward and upward…


~ Chapter Eight ~

A New Beginning… A New World

The world had sure gone off and gotten itself in a damned hurry.

As far back as she could remember, automobiles were a little more than a novelty: Expensive toys for well-to-do aristocrats sorely in need of a hobby. On any public thoroughfare, they would be outnumbered by horses at a rate of at least ten to one. To even see one was for most people, a rare treat indeed. They were expensive and cantankerous innovations of the industrial age, about as useful as a waterproof sponge, and as reliable as a candle in a hurricane.

But now they suddenly seemed to be everywhere. All around her, no matter which way she turned, they were there. Packed together bumper-to-bumper and fender-to-fender… in all manner of sizes, shapes and colors… they roared past at frightening speeds atop a smooth surface of strange, black stone.

Overwhelmed by the choreographed chaos that surrounded her, she tried averting her gaze upward, but was only met by new sources of bewilderment. In her mind, the Woolworth Building stood as the tallest man-made structure in the world. She was painfully aware of this, as Hockley steel had been used in its construction and Cal had never tired of boasting about that fact. In every photo she had ever seen on the subject it had dominated the New York skyline, but it now stood almost invisible, overwhelmed by the surrounding towers of concrete and glass.

And looking down the street toward the south, the tallest of them all was slowly rising from the banks of the East River. A monumental latticework of steel beams and cast concrete, it already seemed to dominate the skyline, even as it yet pushed upward to its final height of nearly eighteen hundred feet. Jack had called it the "Freedom Tower," and through his brief explanation she had sensed a faint hint of emotion in his voice. It led her to suspect that there was some sort of deeper meaning to this place… that it was something more than a simple feat of engineering… but she held her tongue and said nothing. He would tell her when he felt they both were ready.

She returned her gaze to ground level and took in the world on a more human scale once more. Aside from the automobiles there were people… so many people… all of them dashing about, rushing in and out of nearby buildings, jumping in and out of taxis… Everyone seemed wanting to be somewhere else, and needing to be there ten minutes ago.

At first she had been nervous about stepping out into a public place in her present state. The dress code of the Edwardian Bourgeoisie class wasn't exactly in step with the present times after all, and standing on a public sidewalk in a corset and a dress that left everything to the imagination wasn't exactly a good way of blending in. But she had quickly discovered that such worries were unjustified. Most passers by were so absorbed with their personal concerns that they failed to even notice her. And if some of the outfits she had seen were any indication at all, her current wardrobe was downright tame compared to the latest fashion trends.

But rules of fashion and fashion disasters aside, there was one thing that stood out above all else in her mind. It was something that perhaps no one else amongst the literally tens of thousands of people that surrounded her at that moment would ever think unusual. And yet to her, it jumped out and announced its presence with a primordial scream, pushing aside all other details of the scene: The women.

All around her throughout the crowd were women. Women wearing suits… women carrying briefcases… women dashing in and out of the various office high-rises as they bumped shoulders with men of equally professional appearance. They were doctors… lawyers… stockbrokers… financial analysts… advertising executives… They were every manner of trade and profession that one could think of, working side-by-side with the men of this world not as second-class citizens, but as equals, enjoying every ounce of credit and respect that came with the jobs they did: Recognition that the male persuasion had once reserved as its own private domain.

It was true, what Jack had said. The world had moved on in the century since the sinking of the Titanic, and a far more enlightened society had been born above its rusting remains. There was a shared social conscience now, and a sense of social justice that simply did not exist in 1912. Humanity had grown up.

And it was all yet another revelation in a long series stretching back to the moment two days before when Jack had swept down from the sky and whisked her away to this brave and wondrous new world. After their impromptu flying lesson over the coast, Jack had taken them on a southeasterly course for more than an hour before dropping back below the clouds and gently setting his bird down aboard what had to be the largest thing she had ever dared to imagine. It was a ship by definition, but to her it seemed more like a floating city. It had a flat and open deck with an abbreviated superstructure topped by a towering mainmast, and Jack had assured her that her sense of perspective was not playing tricks on her. This vessel was every bit large enough to swallow the mighty Titanic whole.

…Although she was still left wondering whom the heck this Carl Vinson fellow was.

"It's a lot to take in, isn't it?"

The soothing tone of his voice was like sweet music to her ears, and she felt his gentle hands slip comfortingly over her shoulders. It was those amazing hands that she perhaps found most fascinating about him: Artists hands, slightly calloused from innumerable acts of creation, and yet capable of so much more. They were a perfect metaphor for the living enigma that was Jack Dawson.

He could turn a blank sheet of paper into an artistic masterpiece in minutes, and yet he could also kill casually from beyond the horizon. His touch could set her whole body to tingling and light her soul aflame with desire, and yet it had already mastered technological wonders of which she had yet to even conceive. He could create and destroy in equal measure. He was both a sensitive artist, and a battle-hardened warrior… A lover and a fighter. How two such beings could ever exist in the same body was a concept that never ceased to amaze her.

Having Jack's reassuring presence behind her calmed her nerves like nothing else could. She leaned backward and melted lightly into him as he drew her close, burying his face into her scarlet locks.

"It is." She admitted with a contented sigh. "But I can handle it all."

"I'm sure you can." Jack whispered into her hair. "So what impresses you the most?"

"Honestly, and I know this sounds strange, but I think it's the way people dress." She admitted with a shrug. "Some of the clothes here are so revealing. And others are just plain outlandish. I take it the rules of fashion have fallen by the wayside somewhat?"

"Not just fallen by the wayside: Been tossed out a twelfth story window, trampled on the sidewalk and run over by a taxi." He admitted with a shrug. "Take that woman over there for instance."

"You mean the one in the red, patent leather raincoat?"

"Yeah, her. Now doesn't she just look like a horny fire hydrant to you?"

She couldn't help but burst out in giggles over Jack's cutting remark. His words were so silly, yet so true. Sometimes his artistic creativity could be simply boundless.

"That's not a very nice thing to say!" she laughed, turning in his embrace and giving him a playful punch on the shoulder.

"Are you saying you disagree with my assessment?"

"Well, no. But it's still not very nice."

"Fair 'nuff. So other than that, how are you holding up?"

"As well as can be expected, I suppose." She admitted with a sigh and a resigned slouching of her shoulders. "To tell you the truth, I've never felt so dated and inadequate. I mean, just a moment ago I saw a young couple over there talking about a new earring and a new tattoo."

"And you thought the wrong words were coming out of the wrong mouths?"

"Precisely." She sighed dejectedly. "I feel so thoroughly old."

"Well that's because you are old, Rosebud." Jack informed her with a chuckle. "You may look young on the outside, but by our calendars you're actually a hundred and seventeen! That makes you the oldest person in history, this side of the Bible at least!"

"My good man, you have an odd way of trying to make a girl feel better about herself." She panned in reply, her eyes informing him that she was less than amused.

"Well, I wouldn't worry about it too much." He laughed off her concerns. "Age is just a number, after all. What really counts is how you feel. As long as you feel young at heart, nothing else really matters."

"Yes, I suppose you're right." She sighed. "But the idea is still going to take some getting used to."

"I know, Rosebud. I know."

He slipped his arms protectively around her waist and she slipped hers around his chest, nestling herself comfortably under his chin, savoring the closeness between them. And although they were standing on a crowded sidewalk in the heart of one of the largest cities on earth, they quickly found themselves alone, the outside world melting away until they were the only two people in the world. They each closed their eyes and concentrated on the other's breathing, and at once nothing else existed or mattered. This was the meaning of life: The love that they shared and the promise of a future together. The businessmen and billionaires… the politicians and princes… they could all have the world if they wanted it. For the two of them, everything they needed was right there in front of them, a lifetime of sustenance brimming behind each other's eyes.

"So, where do we go from here?" Rose finally asked after several blissful seconds. With the moment broken, the roar of traffic and the shouts of passers-by came bursting back to their consciousness with surprising intensity.

"Well, there's several places on the list." Jack pondered, thoughtfully stroking his chin. "We still need to get you the proper documents so you'll fit in here. That means sitting down with my contacts as the Social Security Administration and the I.N.S. Fortunately they're both in the same building, so it won't be too difficult. Then there's the voter registration people, but that can be done later. Getting the proper paperwork is the most important thing right now."

"All right. How do we do that?"

"First stop would be the Federal Building uptown. We'll need to hail a cab." He said, taking her by the hand and leading them both toward the curb. With a wave of his hand he beckoned one of the gleaming yellow machines to stop, and in a most chivalrous manner, assisted her inside.

"Fed building. North side." He succinctly informed the driver, and within moments they were moving through traffic down one of the many concrete canyons that so defined the iconic urban jungle that was the Big Apple.

Looking out the window at the eternal city, Rose couldn't help but be enthralled. Craning her gaze upward, she saw that wood and brick had given way to concrete and steel as the building materials of choice, allowing architects to push their creations toward unimaginable heights. And above even that, one of the glimmering machines that had replaced the great ocean liners of her time soared along its eastward path toward Europe. The thought of people cramming themselves three hundred at a time into an aluminum tube and rocketing through the stratosphere at three-quarters the speed of sound was at once exhilarating and terrifying, and yet here it stood, an everyday occurrence for those of this time, as commonplace and mundane as a trip to the market.

The world had grown so large it seemed, moving at such a high rate of speed, and yet she remained so small and slow by comparison. How would she ever be able to adapt? How could a person like her ever truly fit into a world such as this?

Then she felt Jack's hand slip itself reassuringly around hers, and all of her worries instantly melted away.

"It's a lot to deal with Rosie, I know." He whispered softly. "Adjusting will be a long and bumpy road, and it's not gonna happen overnight. You'll have good days and bad days, and sometimes progress will be painfully slow. But always remember that you're not alone in this. You've got me watching your back, and if you ever need a hand with anything, you only have to let me know. We're in this together. I really mean that. Wherever the road should happen to lead us, I'm right here beside you."

Turning her gaze from the window, she locked her eyes with his, drinking in all of the love and devotion that dwelt there. She could get lost in those eyes… and spend an eternity swimming in their everlasting warmth. Even now it still floored her that such joy and happiness could be found in the soul of a single person. Just how the heck was it that he could be so damn wonderful all the time?

Leaning across the back seat of the cab, she nestled into him once more, sighing in utter contentment as his strong arms snaked their way around her and protectively held her close. There was no doubt about it in her mind: This was home. Perhaps more of a home than her family's estate or her own era had ever been. And as long as Jack was indeed beside her, she could deal with everything else. He was her sustenance… her strength… her guiding star… And by looking to him, she would always find her way home.

As the cab drove on, she burrowed deeper into his embrace, closing her eyes and concentrating solely on him. The sound of his breathing… the rhythm of his heartbeat… every part of him was something to be savored and cherished. Such thoughts brought a smile to her face, and with a sudden wave of drowsiness washing over her, she muttered the words she had not spoken since they had parted ways on the stern: The heartfelt declaration that he had been unable to hear.

"I love you so much."

A dramatic, pregnant pause hung heavy in the air for several moments. But her heart nearly skipped a beat when she heard his reply in an equally heartfelt measure.

"I love you too, Rosie. I love you too."

~ The End ~


Author's Notes:

And there you have it folks! A hundred and five pages… 59,796 words… and more time spent on Google than any human being should ever admit to. All in all, final proof that the secret to enjoying your job is having a hobby that's worse! Personally, I'd like to thank all of you for sticking around for the duration. I know that I can get a little carried away at times with all the technical minutia, so when readers are able to get past that and hang with the story, it really means a lot.

And speaking of technical minutia…

Woolworth Building: Designed in 1910 by renowned architect Cass Gilbert, this neo-Gothic style tower was commissioned by retail magnate Frank Woolworth as the national headquarters for his five-and-dime empire, and at 57 stories in height was the tallest building in the world upon completion.

Dubbed the "Cathedral of Commerce" for its architectural resemblance to many Gothic cathedrals of Europe. It reigned as the world's tallest structure for seventeen years until being surpassed by the both the Chrysler Building and the tower at # 40 Wall Street in 1930. In 1966 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks.

Now admittedly, I'm stretching my dates somewhat by using the Woolworth Building in this way. The titanic sank in 1912, a whole year and ten days prior to the building's completion. But I consider this to be a minor hitch. For by the spring of 1912, the framework of the tower would have been very close to "topping out," and would have almost certainly exceeded the height of the Metropolitan Life Building at Madison Avenue and East 23rd Street, making it the world's tallest structure. Even in its incomplete form, the Woolworth would have dominated the skyline, and been an impressive sight indeed.

U.S.S. Carl Vinson (CVN-70): The third member of the United States Navy's Nimitz-Class, the Carl Vinson is named for Representative Carl Vinson, a Democrat from the state of Georgia who was the first politician to serve 50 years in the national Congress and whose strong advocacy of naval power while in office garnered him the title "Father of the Two-Ocean Navy."

Commissioned on March 13th of 1982, the Vinson stretches 1,092 feet long and boasts a gross tonnage of 101,300 tons. Nuclear power from twin Westinghouse reactors can propel the ship at a sustained speed of over 30 knots and provide creature comforts to an overall crew of nearly 6,000 souls.

Now for those of you keeping score at home, that's quite a tally to behold. It's nearly a quarter again longer than the Titanic and more than twice the weight, with a 50% increase in top speed! If one were to simply remove the Titanic's funnels and masts, the entire majestic liner could be dropped inside the Vinson's hull like a Russian nesting doll, still leaving enough room to comfortably replace the flight deck above it.

Eat your hearts out, Harland & Wolff! The boys down at Newport News Shipyard own your sorry Irish butts!

Well that's a wrap, as they say in the movie biz. Once again, I'd like to thank each and every one of you for tagging along on this little ride. Life's more fun when you've got friends along, wouldn't you say?

As far as future projects, I unfortunately can't say that I've got anything definitive lined up. There're a few general ideas floating around in my head, but nothing solid enough to even generate an outline, let alone an actual story. I suppose I'll just wait and see if things eventually begin to coalesce, but for right now I can't say anything for certain.

As always, reviews are both appreciated and reciprocated. It's the least I can do for anyone who takes the time to send his or her thoughts along.

Stay cool out there, fellow web-o-philes! Catch you all out in cyberspace!

Nutzkie…