A/N: Hiya folks! Been awhile. Thanks for all your superduper reviews. I read all of them and I suppose you'd like a consensus: most of you read the author's notes, have read the story description in my profile and don't care about my replying to your reviews. I like to use author's notes just to keep people posted with story-related stuff. The story description was for your own sanity, in case you're wondering if this story is going anywhere. And I'm proud to say it is . Because I have actually finished the plans for the rest of the story! It's true. Don't know how long it'll take to wrap up but probably within the next 5 chapters or so.

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Chapter 21: Baby, It's fact

Days turned into the weeks following the birth of little Matthew and Rose had progressively healed from her ordeal, though the process had taken longer than it would with a normal delivery. Due to the circumstances, she had remained in bed for the next day and was back to one hundred percent just over a month. Jack knew she needed time and he stood by her patiently.

On the bright side, it seemed as though their baby could not have been more perfect, even though it sounded boastful. But they were admittedly proud parents. As for Rose, she learned all the essentials in caring for a baby quite quickly and most naturally. She was only given a few words of advice from Bertha who was more than experienced in that field. Doctor Baker had confirmed that Matthew was indeed growing normally as a baby should be. Weighing at seven pounds and three ounces when he was born, by the time his one month birth date had rolled on by, he now weighed in at just under fifteen pounds. Of course, Nellie had often come over to give Rose a hand while Jack was at work. He had only been able to stay home after their son's birth for a week. He knew that as much as he wanted to stay, the money still needed to come in somewhere. He did what he thought was in the best interest of his family. The least he could do was have shorter work days to come home earlier.

The first few weeks were rough on the parents, with Matthew's sleeping patterns. He would wake them up at least twice at night and early in the morning for feeding. Though it took some getting used to, it still wore them down, particularly Rose.

Jack's artwork had now taken a bit of a new direction with new subjects to sketch. His portfolio became filled with sketches of Rose breastfeeding their son, Matthew napping, Matthew bathing, and much more. He wanted to record everything. Rose agreed and was happy with it; that would save on a photographer, she joked.

Jack had turned twenty-one on the twenty-third of January. The feeling this birthday brought onto him was unlike any other birthday he had before: he felt more grown up, more responsible and genuinely happier than ever. Yes, he had been happy with his life before he met Rose and it was because he got to live his dream. He saw some of the world, he got to meet some other artists like himself and some even greater, and it helped to refine his talent. In spite of this, he had never known what it was like to be truly happy, and it was all because the boy in him fell in love with a girl on a fancy ocean liner. Being the simplistic guy he was, he insisted, as much as Rose protested, that he did not want a big "hullaballoo", as he called it, for his birthday. He felt didn't need a party. He just wanted to stay home with his wife and son. "I don't think it would be good to have too many people around in the house anyway," he added to his argument. "There'll be too much excitement for Matt. I mean, he was only born a couple weeks ago." Rose thought that strange of Jack: he requested it for New Year's and now for his birthday. Perhaps there was a little more to him than she was aware. She knew he was a simple kind of person, very unmaterialistic, but every once in awhile people liked to be celebrated too. She swore to herself one day, she'd throw a big party for him whether he liked it or not. Rose did give in to his request, but it did not stop her from getting him a present, though she wasn't sure if he would like it. When she purchased it, she was not even sure if he had ever used anything of the sort, or if he was familiar about how to.

Matthew had been put to sleep and it was now the perfect time for Jack to unwrap his gift. Rose's face looked expectant as he did so, hoping for a good reaction. But when it was opened it, he just looked at it a few seconds before letting out laughter. Her face fell and she frowned.

"What's wrong? You don't like it? I wasn't sure if you'd ever used anything like that, I thought it would just be nice for a change."

"No, no, it's not that darlin'," he was still chuckling. As much as she enjoyed the sound of his laughter, he was beginning to upset her.

"Then what is it? You know, acrylic paint and fine brushes like those don't come cheap," she began, but he cut her off when he took her hand in his, his laughter having worn off.

"No, it's great, I love it. I was just laughing because..." a smile cracked on his face and he looked as though he were going to start laughing again. She looked at him questioningly. "Well, because I could never afford to paint!" He let out a slight chuckle, waiting for her response. But she began smiling too and soon started laughing with him.

"You mean you've never tried it?"

"Not much of it at all. I don't have much experience with it."

"Then there's no reason for you to hold back any longer. I'd bet you'd make just as fine a painter artiste," she complimented him, emphasising a French accent on her last word.

Jack smirked then manifested a horrid French accent himself. "Ah perrhaps! I shall trry my hend at zee painting."

And he so he did in his spare time. He tried blending the colours and reproducing simple things first from the paint. It was much different then working with his usual charcoal and simple paper. But the more he tried, the more he began to show great potential, as the artist in him emerged onto the canvas in an explosion of colour. It never ceased to amaze Rose how he could make something appear so wonderful and life-like: whether he was on canvas or on paper, he managed to bring it to life. She truly admired his talent.

Matthew smiled his first smile in early March, much to his parents' thrill. He reacted to familiar voices and to his parents' faces. When Titanic's one year anniversary came, it was a particularly hard time for them to go through, though Matthew was keeping them busy and they were thankful for that. Jack even asked to leave work in the middle of the day to go home and spend time with Rose and his son. Mostly, it was for his own well being and for Rose's because they both knew they each needed each other more than ever that day for comfort. In a way, though Titanic evoked many bad memories, it also brought back many happy ones because it was then that they had first met. They both got back to normal by May as they celebrated their one year anniversary, a milestone. It was already hard to believe that it had already been over a year since they had met. By that month, their little apartment home was filled with his cooing and "baby talk" as Matthew attempted to form sounds. Teething didn't even seem to bother him Bertha claimed they it had bothered all of her children. The first few months were physically hard on Rose due to Matthew's odd sleeping patterns and her feeding him "on demand", as one would call it. By five months, he was beginning to sleep more regularly much to their happiness. Sleeping had been tedious before. They had to be ready and on their toes at the slightest demand their kid made. Now, they were able to finally get almost a full night's sleep for the most part.

Physically, everyone could tell Matthew was growing to look more and more like Jack. As soon as his hair began growing in, it was as blond as it could be though his eyes began apparently turning into a greenish shade. He was a bit on the chubbier for an infant his age but he was healthy and he'd eventually grow out of that baby chub phase, as Doctor Baker had told them.

Matthew was a very happy baby with a good disposition. He quickly became comfortable with strangers as people dropped by often enough to visit. Even Molly Brown had travelled over in the summer to see them after hearing of the news through one of Rose's letters. The whole experience of having a smaller being inside the house with them that was in fact a product of their love was quite a wonderful adventure. Watching him grow from a tiny infant to an active little spirit was a wonder in itself. Almost everything he did seemed new and it had them in constant awe, captivating their attention. Jack could still barely believe that he was actually a father, not to mention the father of Rose's child. It seemed like just yesterday he had been gazing at her from that third class deck, worlds apart. Had he known that he would become the father of her children within a year, he might have laughed and brushed it off. All that beside, exploring parenthood was indeed the adventure as it was totally new for the two, but they were doing the best they could and learned together.

December 1913

As some of the sweetest days the couple had ever experienced passed by, autumn had come around again and by that time, little Matthew (or Matty, as Rose fell into the habit of calling him) began crawling and even walking by October, shortly thereafter. He understood things such as waving "byebye" and how to ask to be lifted up to a higher surface with "uppies", but that was as far as his vocabulary extended up until then.

One regular December morning, Jack had been quietly reading the morning paper at the kitchen table as Rose was preparing breakfast and Matthew sat in his high chair they had purchased less than a year ago. Though Jack tried to focus on what he was reading, he kept getting distracted by Matthew's baby sounds and attempts at talking he was doing more and more these days. Peeking up to catch a glance at what his eleven month old was fascinating himself with, Jack could already tell he had a bit of a mischievous spirit, though his disposition was mostly sweet, as everyone seemed to comment.

When he looked up at Matthew, the infant was staring back at him and Jack knew that the boy wanted to play the staring game with him again. Jack knew he was trying to learn how to interact with others but he found it amusing anyway. As he stared at Matt with an obvious serious expression on his face, Matthew stared back, making an attempt to recreate such a serious face. And when Jack smiled at the hilarity of it, Matthew began smiling with his partly toothy grin and giggling. But as soon as Jack would once again return to his serious expression, Matthew would immediately cease and imitate him. While dividing servings onto their plates, Rose caught a glimpse of the game she found them playing lately and laughed to herself. It was heart-warming to watch.

As usual, after finishing breakfast and kissing the two "goodbye", he went about his normal day's work. It had become too routinely for him and frankly, he had grown bored with his job at the butchery, though they had much to thank that job for. Besides that it was their means of getting by, it was also thanks to that job that Rose noticed Jack had put on a slightly more muscular frame due to the boxes and crates he lifted daily during deliveries of shipments. (He had been flattered at the time since he had always been the "tall skinny guy" amongst his friends.) The only thing that kept some variety in his day was whenever he had the chance to work on his art which always had something different in store for him every day. Sometimes he'd paint, and other times he'd draw. And obviously besides art, there was his family whom he was always excited to get home to by the end of the day. He did not expect what was going to happen that ordinary late afternoon as he walked into the doorway.

Rose was folding some clothes as he got in that day, kicking off his shoes at the entrance. Rose shook her head as she watched him. He was still like a boy in many ways and this was one of them.

"Jack, put your shoes away properly before someone trips over them."

He paused and turned to do what he was told as he muttered a "yes m'am. He smiled charmingly at her after putting his shoes away nicely. Once he set his things down on the coffee table, he went to greet her.

"Hey, that's no way to say 'hello'. How about, 'How was your day, Jack? I missed you today, Jack. I love you , Jack.'" He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and she stared back at him with a hand on her hip. With that house cleaning apron around her waist and the locks of her scarlet hair hanging loosely around her face having escaped her bun, he couldn't have loved the sight of her more than he did right then and there. He was amazed that anyone had the right or even capability to look so magnificent any time, place, or circumstance.

"Did you have a good day?" she asked sweetly.

"If you really want to know because you seem so interested," he started sarcastically, "I had a pretty crummy day. A shipment came in this morning and I think I may have a pulled a muscle in my back lifting one of those crates. It's been hurtin' all day."

Rose became worried about him suddenly. "Why weren't you more careful? Where does it hurt?" She felt his back with her hand. "There?"

"No. . . Right around here," he tried to indicate with his arm. "A bit lower than that... more to the side... Ah haaaa, right there," he winced. "Doesn't hurt as much though, so I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Ohh... do you want me to rub your back later tonight? Might make it better," Rose offered, wanting to help him.

"Sure, that'd be swell," he smiled thankfully. She smiled in return and after a beat, he leaned in to kiss her lips softly. It gradually grew into something more when she decided to prolong the kiss, not letting him pull away. Amused by her attempt in seducing him with the way she was running her fingers through his hair, he decided a trick of his own and laid his hands over her breasts. She, of course, giggled at his boldness and decided to give him a startle by placing her hands on his buttock and groping him. Caught off guard by that, he suddenly broke the kiss in his surprise. "What was that?" he exclaimed as he was laughing.

"Something new! Like it?" Rose teased.

"Strangely enough," he began as he pulled her close to him again, "I kind of did. Wanna take this into the other room?" he waggled his eyebrows at her, an expectant look on his face.

"My apologies but the room is already occupied," she looked at him apologetically, stifling a grin.

"Is that so?" He pulled her along with him to the closed bedroom door. "Then I guess we'll just have to kick the rascal out!"

"Jack!" Rose whispered, motioning for him to keep his voice down with her fingers over her mouth.

"Oh right, he's sleeping," he whispered and chuckled.

Not having seen him since earlier that morning, Jack wanted to peer through the door to get a peak at his boy. When he did open the door however, Matthew was found standing up in his crib. At the sight of his parents, he began jumping up and down happily while supporting himself on the crib railing.

"Not anymore," Jack arched his eyebrow, indicating a very active little boy. "I guess this'll have to wait some other time then, huh," he nudged her teasingly at his innuendo.

"I'll thank you kindly then for getting my hopes up," she replied smoothly.

"Hey, you started it! Should have never tried to seduce me in the first place."

"Well... you should not have kissed me!"

Amused by her last response, he caught her waist and pulled her in. "Oh, so I shouldn't have kissed you?" he asked rhetorically, his voice filled with sarcasm. She had a small smiled on her face as Jack was trying to lean his in closer to hers. "Mark my words, Rose: I will kiss you whenever I darn well please!" Rose began giggling, trying to squirm away from his preying lips.

"Don't you think Matty wants out of his crib?" Rose asked in the middle of this, and sure enough, it distracted Jack.

He sighed as he was unable to steal a kiss. "I'm sure he does," he disappointingly released her. "You may have gotten away this time, Rose, but be prepared... I may strike again anytime, anywhere!" He made kissing sounds with his lips as he made his way towards the crib, Rose following.

"Oh, hush up, lover boy," she smacked his arm playfully.

Chuckling, he watched as Matthew held his arms out to him, waiting to be picked up when to his surprise, a distinct unexpected word escaped Matthew's mouth.

"Dada!"

Jack nearly froze, and then he glanced at Rose who had too stopped in her tracks.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, bewildered.

Rose was smiling, too amazed to answer.

"Come here, bud." Smiling, Jack scooped up Matt and sat him on his hip as looked into his round face. "Can you say that again for dada?" Matthew grinned a toothy smile while Jack looked at him with expectant eyes. Clapping his father's cheeks in between his tiny hands, he giggled at how his face became disfigured as he squished his cheeks.

"Well, at least he said it once," Rose reassured, still amazed that their little boy had addressed someone for the first time with a word. Jack set him down and sent him to her so she could put on his shirt. Bending on one knee, she slipped a shirt over his head. "He'll say it again sooner or later." Then addressing Matthew in a childlike tone, "Isn't that right, Matty? Can you say 'dada'? Say 'dada'."

As though Rose had the magic mother's touch, Matthew seemed to understand and echoed her words, "Dada."

Rose exaggerated a surprised gasp at her son and smiled in satisfaction, "Where's dada?"

And again, Matthew replied with "Dada," as he pointed explicitly at him, a big smile scrunching up his face. He ran over into Jack's legs, who seemed overwhelmed and emotional over what had just happened. She looked at Jack with a satisfied smile, as though saying "see how well he listens to me?" and he looked back at her with a questioning expression that read "how did you do that?"

"I can't believe it," he said, picking up Matthew again and setting him on his hip. "But it's strange, 'cause I thought 'mama' would have been easier to say," Jack said honestly.

"I'm just happy he's starting to talk more." Then she sighed and sat in the bed. Jack sat beside her, setting Matt in his lap.

"What's bothering you?"

She sighed, "Oh, I don't know... he's just getting big so fast. It seems like just yesterday he was tiny and helpless but he's gotten so big already. I can't believe he's almost a year old and walking and talking now."

He put a free arm around her shoulders and rocked her against him. "I know. And before you know it, he'll be going to school and making friends with other kids and learning more and more. Eventually, he's going to come home one day with a girlfriend. And I'll bet she'll be pretty," Rose gazed up at him, "'course not as beautiful as his mother." Rose smiled slightly; he always knew how to make her smile.

"It's just a bit depressing. I know I'm still really young, but with every year that passes by, time seems to be flying by faster and faster. I mean, my God, I'm already nineteen. And next month you'll be twenty-two."

"We're not that old, Rosie," Jack tried to reassure with a happy tone, "we're justa coupla crazy kids ourselves."

She looked at him and a smiled broke throughout his features. He just had a way with her because already, she felt better.

"Dada," Matthew exclaimed again, his little voice piercing the air as he reached his hand up to Jack's mouth.

Jack chuckled, "Kinda like this kid right here." Right then, he turned over tickled Matthew on the bed, as he enjoyed the sound of his son's soft laughter.

Rose laughed at the two of them. "You two ready for dinner?"

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A/N: I mentioned a few chapters ago that I'm titling all my chapters from now on after songs. Can you guess the artists' names since chapter 18?? What fun! (Ps. The real song's title for chapter 18 is "Hello Tomorrow, Goodbye to Yesterday.")