Rose woke up an hour later. Luckily Jack was asleep now.
Molly surely won't return for some hours more. That gives me time to pack some things up.
Rose stood up, trying not to wake Jack or her whole plan could be forgotten. She remembered what Jack had said to her.
He doesn't know Cal as well as I do. Cal is going to kill him, if I stay with him any longer. I love him too much to let something happen to him.
She quickly packed up a few things, when she came into the kitchen, she still found some of Jack's drawings lying on the table. She grabbed one picture of herself. She was sure that Jack wouldn't mind and she needed something to memorize these special moments that they always shared when he drew her.
Luckily Jack had also given her one picture of himself. She just needed to be careful that Cal wouldn't find it. She had one of her daughter as well of course. She would miss Josephine too, after all she had been her only reason for living for so many years.
And now both of them will be my reason for living, even though in another way, than I originally thought.
Josephine had always remembered her so much of Jack. She was a real father's child. There was no way that she could've ever accepted Cal as her father. Cal on his part hated her even more, because she was so much like Jack.
I'll miss them.
But this couldn't be helped now. There was no time for sentimental feelings now. This one was the only plan that would work and that would keep Jack and Josephine save. Jack will look after her, he loves her as every father should love his daughter. He'll take good care of her; they both will be doing well. Rose didn't even think of herself.
I just hope he hasn't done anything to her yet.
But Jack was maybe right, Cal still needed her. And now he'll get what he really wants.
She also rapidly moved through the others room, trying to save them up in her mind. She needed to remember them for later.
Rose went back again to Jack watching him sleep.
I'll never hear him say – my sweet little angel – to me again. I'll never feel the touch of his fingers again or the wonderful feeling of him kissing me.
Jack won't ever tell her again how beautiful she was and how much he loved her. It hurt so much, especially now even more after this night.
It always felt so special, when he made love to me. When he held me in his arms afterwards…
Rose could feel the tears dwelling up again.
God, how she loved him, she kissed him on his forehead. She didn't dare to say something however, although she somehow wished that he would wake up and talk her out of it. But he didn't.
Rose stood up and left the room, not turning back to him again; for fear that she'd change her mind. She then quickly made her way out of the house.
…..
Molly had had a bad feeling the whole day. Not that she didn't want Jack and Rose to be alone, but something in Rose's voice had sounded unfamiliar, as if she was…lying? She didn't know. Maybe she shouldn't have gone out. But then again she had promised it to Rose and she was a person who always kept her promise.
Bridget had gone to visit her parents today, who lived there in the city.
Molly however now couldn't get home fast enough.
When she got home Jack had woken up, wondering where Rose was. Something was very wrong.
When Jack heard the door open, he immediately went to see who had come in.
"Rose…" but when he saw who it was his smile quickly changed "oh it's you."
Molly wanted to cheer him up "Hey, aren't you happy to see me?"
"I'm sorry, of course I'm. I just thought you were someone else, that's all."
Molly didn't need to ask him about who he had actually awaited. She knew it. Seeing Jack's worried face, she instantly remembered her bad feeling.
"She isn't here?"
"No. I've looked everywhere...I'm so worried."
Maybe Rose had just gone out to buy something. Maybe she'll return, she'll come back again in five minutes. But something told him that she won't come in the next five minutes or even in the next five hours.
"You know maybe I'm too worried, I mean she's a grown up woman. She surely knows what she'll do."
"No, I don't think that you worry too much, in fact I'm also concerned. I've had a bad feeling the whole day, but I thought that I was maybe just overestimating things. But now all her talk makes sense."
"What talk?"
"She told me something about Cal and that you wouldn't know him well enough, that only she knew how to handle him. I didn't understand right away what she meant. And yesterday she said that she needed some time alone with you. I of course suggested paying for some hotel, but she rejected it, saying something about Josephine."
"Oh my god", Jack choked out. "Do you think that she…?"
He couldn't bring himself to say it out aloud.
"I hope not Jack."
…
Rose meanwhile had gotten to her former home. This was is, no way out now. She knocked on the door and Pauline soon opened her.
"Mrs. Hockley", she sounded stunned. She hadn't awaited to see her again.
"Hello Pauline. Is my husband here?"
"Yes of course he is, Madam, come in. Sit down please. I'll get him."
Pauline went over to his office, while Rose sat down in the parlor.
"Mr. Hockley?"
"Yes?" he looked up.
"Your…your wife is here Sir."
"Rose?"
Pauline nodded.
"Yes Sir, she's waiting in the parlor."
"It's good. You can leave now Pauline. I want to speak alone with my wife."
Pauline nodded, leaving to help the cook Harriet in the kitchen.
Cal then went out to Rose.
"Hello, sweet pea. I didn't think I'd see you again. I thought your little gutter rat doesn't let you come around me alone?"
Rose restraint her feeling to say something to him for calling Jack a gutter rat again.
"He doesn't know that I'm here. I've something to tell you."
"Well then let's sit down", he said offering her a seat.
"So what it is?"
"I've thought about…I mean your extortion to Jack."
"And to what decision did you come?"
"There's only one way out of this. I…" she had to interrupt herself – you can do this Rose, you're doing it for Jack and Josephine "I'm coming back to you."
Cal's eyes grew wide. Had she just said, what he thought she did?
"But you've to promise me that nothing will happen to Josephine or Jack."
Cal still couldn't believe it.
"What about your promise to him and your talk about that you only love him?"
"I'm only doing this, because I love Jack so much. But you have to promise me that no harm be done to them?"
"Alright, you've my word. If you come back to me, I won't do anything to your daughter."
"And Jack?"
"And to your beloved gutter rat", he added.
Rose signed in relieve.
"But you've to know that you won't see them ever again."
Rose nodded.
"I know, but it's only way to protect my family from you. I love them too much to let something happen to them."
"Motherly love, how sweet", he mocked her. "And your little gutter rat. Won't you miss the fucks with him?"
"You don't understand what real love is Cal."
"But you understand that I'll also demand from you to be my companion in bed?"
"Yes, I know and I'm willing to take this risk. But you've to understand that I'm always going to love him. I would do anything so that Jack and Josephine will be save."
Cal couldn't believe his luck. He couldn't care less about whom she really loved. He just loved fucking her and the knowledge that Dawson would be broken, when he heard this made it even better.
Luckily I don't know what love is or I'd also make such stupid decisions.
"I've another request to you, well actually two."
"Go on."
"I want to see Josephine one last time."
"Alright, I'll tell Mr. Bullock to get her."
"And I want to tell Jack myself."
Cal wasn't very pleased with her last request but still said yes. After all it was the last time that she'd see him.
…
Half an hour later Mr. Bullock returned with Josephine. He already told her that her mother was here, so she quickly ran up to her.
"Mama", she embraced her. "What are you doing here?"
She hadn't seen her in two weeks and really wondered about both of them. She only knew about Cal's letter to her father, but nothing further.
"Hello my dear, come on sit down. I need to talk to you."
Josephine sat down beside her. Rose had told Cal to leave her and Josephine alone for a while, which he did, going back to his office, but with his door open.
He surely thinks that I'll leave again.
"I've made up a decision. You do love your father, right?"
"Yes, of course. But I love you as well. We're going to be a real family now, aren't we?"
"Oh honey, you know your father loves you very much, you've to be there for him."
"But you'll be there for him, Mama."
"No, I won't."
Josephine starred at her.
"What? Why?"
"I've made up my mind. I'm staying here with Cal. That's the only way you and Jack can be happy."
Josephine shook her head. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Her mother was actually sacrificing herself. Unbeknownst to both of them Pauline had let Jack in and now he stood here, hearing every word they said.
"What makes you think that I can ever be happy again without you?" he suddenly choked out. Rose turned to him.
"Jack, you're here. I didn't hear you come in."
Jack looked so out of place, so sad. Josephine stood up and went over to him.
"Please, Papa, you've to talk her out of this. You can't let her ruin her life like this."
Jack just nodded moving up to Rose and kneeling down before her.
"Rose, hey…you know you don't have to do this…come with us…we'll move somewhere, where he'll never find us."
"You don't understand. That's the only way to protect the two of you. Cal will never give up. He's obsessed with me."
"That's exactly the reason why you need to be away from him as far as possible."
"No, Jack. I've made up my mind. I'm staying here. But you take good care of Josephine. I know that you love her. And please Jack go and find some else, another mother for her. You also need someone to love you."
"But I don't want anyone else."
Josephine had moved up to them as well. She had never seen her father look so sad and lonely before. She put her hand on his shoulder.
"It's alright, Papa."
"Have you forgotten what he did to you? Do you really think I'm just going to leave you here with him?"
"Jack, I've already decided it. It's the only way. I want you to leave now, both of you. I took one drawing of you Jack to remember you. I know you won't mind."
Jack didn't know what to say.
"Please go now."
Josephine had already stood up and Cal had also returned.
"My wife told you to leave, Dawson", he said.
"Rose, please I love you", he said touching her cheek again and trying to kiss her, but before he could, she had taken a few steps backward towards Cal. She put an arm around him and started kissing him on his lips in front of Jack and Josephine.
"Dawson, how does it feel you see your beloved Rose kiss me? I'm surely going to enjoy the nights with her."
Jack stood there not being able to move. He wanted to lung at Cal and tell him that he won't get away with it, but Mr. Bullock stood in the corner and he instantly knew that it would be a stupid idea.
"Come on, Papa", he felt Josephine tug on his arm.
Once they were out, Rose broke down crying.
"Oh, sweet pea, why are you crying? You just got back to your family."
"No, I won't ever see them again and you know it."
Cal smirked.
"Pauline, would you please make up the room for my wife? And help her into some more decent clothes."
Hours later Rose still lay crying in her bed, just waiting for Cal to come up to her.