Chapter 10

Grace had heard enough. She had followed Jack shortly after he had left her sitting in the first class dining saloon and had snuck into the sitting room of his father's stateroom trying to listen into their conversation. When she heard Jack making his way back in, she quickly made herself scarce. Now sitting in her own room, she wracked her brain trying to work out who Jack had fallen for. She had never heard him mention someone called Rose but she certainly didn't like the way he spoke about her. She looked up as she heard the next door closing indicating that Jack had left. Grace quickly got to her feet and ran out the room, ensuring that she could keep an eye on Jack but also keep a safe enough distance so she wouldn't be spotted. She followed him out onto the deck and down to the other end of the ship. Jack was moving at an extremely quick place as if he couldn't wait to get somewhere. This killed her that he was clearly so infatuated with whoever this girl was. However, confusion set on her when Jack started to walk down the stairs to the lower classes. She couldn't understand why he was heading this way and who he could possibly want to see down here. Grace stopped following him, thinking he couldn't be going to find this Rose if he was heading this way. She sat down on a deck chair and pulled her hat down so it was covering her face. She decided she couldn't bring herself to follow him down there and would just wait for him to return, then they could put this silly nonsense behind them and go to dinner.

...

"Rose! Rose!" Jack ran down the stairs into the third class general room. He barged past people as he went, almost knocking them over. He jumped the last three stairs, landing smoothly on his feet. Jack's eyes scanned the room trying to locate Rose. Unable to see her, he sighed with frustration until he spotted Eddie sitting on the floor across from him.

"Eddie!" he shouted, startling the little boy. "Do you remember me? Mr Dawson?"

Eddie nodded slowly, looking up at him as he knelt down in front of him.

"I need to find Rose. Do you know where she is?" Jack pleaded.

A huge smile crept across Eddie's face as he nodded again.

"Can you take me to her?" Jack smiled.

Eddie's smile faded and he shook his head.

Jack's face fell. "Why not?"

"Because she's behind you." Eddie pointed his finger past Jack's cheek.

Jack's eyes widened as he quickly turned around. He smiled as they rested on Rose standing behind him. Her hair was wild and falling around her shoulders and her eyes seemed more green than usual.

"Rose." He said quietly as he stood to his feet, not caring about the dust that was now settled on his knees.

"Jack, what's going on?" Rose looked around her, suddenly aware that they had become the centre of attention for everyone in the room.

"I need you to come with me." Jack took a step towards her.

"Go where? What are you talking about?" Rose looked bewildered.

"Come with me to meet my father. Please? I told him everything." Jack took her hand in his, squeezing it tight.

To his amazement, she pulled her hand from his, giving him a look of anger. "You did what? After you told me I could trust you? You went away and told him who I was and what I'd done? How could you?" Rose raged, stepping back away from him. "I didn't want anyone from my old life to know I was here. Now your father will tell his friends and my mother will eventually find out. You had no right!"

Jack stared at her. This certainly wasn't the reaction he was looking for. "Rose, I told him because he deserves to know the truth."

"Why? Why does he need to know anything about me?" Rose turned away from him.

"Because he needs to know the truth about the girl I love." Jack confessed, taking a deep breath, still very aware of the fact they were on show to almost all of the lower deck's occupants.

Rose stood still. Her brain was trying to make sense of what Jack had just said. "You what?" she turned to face him.

He stepped back towards her, taking her hands again. "The girl that I love. I love you Rose. I want nothing more than to have you in my life and make you happy. I know you weren't before, but come home with me. I swear you make me happier than I ever thought I could be and if you let me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you feel the same way."

Rose looked around her. She could see woman wiping tears from their cheeks and men smiling with pride. She looked back at Jack. Could this be possible? That she could finally have a chance at happiness with a man that actually cared about her? But what would his father think of her? She thought for a few seconds before realising that this could be her last chance of finding someone genuine and loving.

"I love you too Jack." She whispered finally, smiling to herself as she watched the relief flood over Jack's face. He grabbed her and pulled her close to him, connecting his lips with her. As he did, the crowd that had surrounded them erupted in cheers and applause as they finally watched one of their own get her happy ending. Finally they pulled away from each other, their eyes never leaving the other. They had completely drowned out everyone else around them, only focusing on each other.

"Please come with me. You need to come and see my father." Jack held her face in his hands, kissing her again.

Rose nodded. "Okay Jack, I'll come with you."

Jack smiled. He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the stairs, grinning at all those they ran past with Rose giggling as she followed him. Eventually they reached the boat deck where Grace was still sitting. She looked up as she heard laughing and was shocked as she saw Jack emerging from the lower decks, pulling a girl behind him. Grace stared at her, realising that he was walking with Anna. She sat staring at them as she tried to understand what was going on. Grace stood and watched them as they made their way down the boat deck, hand in hand. Once they were out of sight, she sat back down. After a few minutes, it suddenly clicked to her that Jack had lied to her. This girl wasn't called Anna. This was Rose. Grace threw herself up on her feet, steam almost coming out of her ears. She started to make her way back to the stateroom. There was no way she was about to lose Jack to this steerage tramp.

A/N – Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. I've been so nervous about doing this story and I really hope I'm being true to the time and doing it justice! Thanks again xx