March, 1914

Rose sat on the couch staring at the clock. She wasn't looking at it for any particular reason, she was just staring "One month." she said that over and over in her head. "One month. That's it." Rose looked at the ceiling, thought for a moment, then looked back at the clock. The doctor will be here any minute." She thought. He was going to check up on Vanessa.

Rose got up, got the thermometer from the drawer in the bathroom, walked upstairs, and into Vanessa's room. She took her temperature, and then read the thermometer. Rose squealed with joy. Vanessa's temperature was seven degrees less than it usually was. This gave Rose more hope than ever. Vanessa was actually doing better! She felt tears in her eyes. But they weren't the same tears she has been crying for the past two months. They were tears of joy. Finally, after over two months, Rose had found the silver lining from the cloud that she had been living in.

Just then, Rose heard a knock on the door. Rose ran down the stairs, and opened the door.

"Hello Doctor Baker."

"Hello Rose." The doctor replied. "Has Vanessa been doing any better, lately?"

"Not since today. I just took her temperature, and she's seven degrees less since yesterday when I checked."

"That's great. That probably means that she's doing much better." Rose smiled. "More hope." She thought. "May I take a look at her?"

"Of course" Rose and the doctor walked up the stairs and into Vanessa's room. Rose lightly shook Vanessa. "Nessie" Vanessa's blue eyes opened

"Mommy!"

"Hi baby!" Rose handed Vanessa to the doctor

When the doctor finished checking Vanessa, they left the room and closed the door so Vanessa could sleep.

"Vanessa is doing much better. I really think she's going to make it."

Rose hadn't been this happy in what seemed like forever. "Thank you. Thank you so much!"

"No problem! I'll be back at two o'clock two weeks from today"

"Of course!"

"Goodbye Rose."

"Goodbye Doctor Baker" The doctor walked downstairs and out the door. Rose felt as if a big weight had just been lifted off her shoulders She was relived. It was as if a huge ray of hope had filled the house. Rose couldn't wait for Jack to come home.

Rose was in the kitchen cooking dinner. Ever since the doctor's visit, she had been much happier. He was stirring the beef stew when she heard the door unlock. "I'm home!"

"Jack!JackJack!" She ran up to him and embraced him tightly. Jack still had the same depressed look in his eyes since the day he found out about Vanessa. He tried really hard to hide it from Rose, but she could see right through it.

"Looks like someone missed me!" Rose smiled and nodded

"Jack! You'll never guess what happened today!"

"What? Did something happen with Vanessa?" Rose nodded again. "What?" Rose squealed with happiness. "Rose, what happened to Vanessa?"

"Jack! Her temperature went down seven degrees! She's doing much better!"

A wide smile appeared on Jack's face. The depressed look in his eyes seemed to dissolve away. "Really? Are you serious? Don't mess with me, Rose."

"Jack, I'm serious. I'm not lying."

The smile on Jack's face got bigger. "That's great. No, not great, it's amazing!"

"I know! The doctor said that he really thinks she's going to make it!" Jack kissed her on the lips.

"See Rose? I told you to have faith! I told you it would be okay, that she's a fighter, just like me! I knew she'd be alright! I told you, you can trust me!"

"I do trust you. I always did. I love you. More than you could imagine."

"I love you too, Rose"

March 1914

Jack and Rose were waiting for the doctor to finish examining Vanessa. They were really excited to see how much progress she had made in the past two weeks. Finally, the doctor turned to them and motioned for them to come outside Nessie's room.

"So how's she doing?" Jack was suddenly nervous again. He didn't know what he would do, if she had gotten worse.

"Well I don't exactly know how to say this but…"

"Oh, no" Rose said. She knew what was coming next. Vanessa had gotten worse.

"Do you want to hear the rest?" Rose nodded "Well I was checking your daughter, and the virus is…well, gone."

Jack was in total shock. "So what you're saying is… Vanessa…OUR daughter…isn't…isn't sick…anymore?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Rose was overjoyed. She gasped in delight. "That's wonderful!"

Jack thought for a moment. It seemed too good to be true. "Wait. So she's gonna be…okay…right?"

"Yup. She's perfectly healthy. This one's a little fighter." Jack grinned an enormous grin.

"That's…Amazing!"

"I'll leave you two alone, now." The doctor walked downstairs and out the door.

"Jack! She's okay!" Rose kissed Jack passionately on the lips after a few minutes, Jack pulled away.

"I told you to trust me, Rose. I told you she'd be alright. She's a fighter. Even the doctor knows it." Rose smiled.

"I'm just happy that it's all over now. And that we have our little girl for forever."

Jack smiled "Me too. I'm so glad that she's healthy again It's a huge relief." Rose nodded agreeing.

"Jack I-"

"Wait. Did you hear that?" Rose nodded. Jack opened the door and walked into Vanessa's room, holding Rose's hand. "Hi Nessa." Vanessa reached up to Jack, indicating that she wanted Jack to pick her up. He scooped her up in his arms, and hugged her tight. They walked downstairs happy, something they hadn't done in over two months.