Chapter ten:

It was some hours later when land could be seen, Carpathia first bypassed Pier 54, its Cunard Line pier, and sailed up the Hudson River to Pier 59, the berth for White Star Line and where Titanic was supposed to have arrived. Having dropped off the empty lifeboats, Carpathia then sailed back toward Pier 54. They were the first pieces of the disaster to be taken to dry land; vessels which had been launched half full and carried passengers to safety aboard the rescue ship. The source of so much life and so many answers already. Why were the boats launched half full? Why were there so little lifeboats aboard the great ship?

A tug boat filled with photographers followed the ship to the pier, and the flashlight of cameras lit up the ship in the night sky to reveal that the decks were crammed with passengers.

The sky was black, rain drizzling endlessly. The fog had cleared as they had grown closer inland but the cold remained. The decks were a blanket of black umbrellas shielding those who stood around from the rain. The liberation was all about, or as much joy which could be mustered for having feet back on dry land. There was a strange calm about, one which was haunting as well as peaceful. One could only muse as to what the atmosphere would have been about if it had been Titanic herself arriving here and not the ship carrying her survivors.

The lights of Lady Liberty seemed brighter somehow; almost a beacon to welcome those home or to the City which would no doubt become their home. She moved passed them slowly, and each person stopped their actions to view her; some for the first time and some for the umpteenth but she was still a marvel to witness especially after the tragic circumstances in which each person was arriving back to the States.

Exhaustion clouded the passengers; the events of the week causing an endless disturbance to their rest. Many, even though happy to be home, were too weary to show any further emotion. It was unimaginable.

Beneath a black umbrella, Rose leaned against Jack; his body an endless source of her own strength. The pattering above them on the umbrella seemed to calm and soothe them both as they stood together, the silence between them comfortable. In the hours since they had left Cal out on the decks, they had returned to the corridors in which Jack had laid on that first night to rest; somehow. Could rest come to them ever again?

The events of the day were still very blurred, combining it with the lack of rest and so, Rose simply had leant against Jack with his hands gently stroking through her hair and it had brought such comfort amongst the unsettle of her stomach. Through heavy lidded eyes, they watched the scenes about them, the faces of the lost and lonely and then each other's before returning to the sight of the Statue.

Thunder had rattled the ship throughout their journey from rescuing the survivors to the dock, a sense of God's anger somewhere, most had said. God was angry, but wasn't he the one who had claimed so many lives? The faith lingered about. People had both gained and lost their religious stems but saying that, most prayed for something; anything. There had to be something out there, hadn't there?

Jack's right hand came to Rose's waist, pulling her ever closer into him. Her head tilted to his shoulder; leaning to him as she lifted her chin upwards to find his watchful gaze upon her just as it always was. Beneath his gaze was where she had come to feel the most exposed and also the most alive. Seeing how watchful he was of her ensured her of the feelings which transpired between the two of them. It was deeply profound and honest.

''We are home,'' he smiled, softly. The first words they had spoken in a while. She exhaled, her breathe a cloud about her.

''Yes.''

''A home that I never thought I would see again in a while.''

''A home that I was dreading to return to and now I cannot wait to feel my feet upon dry land.''

All tables had been turned; entirely. For all of those involved.

"Soon we will."

The silence returned for a time. Lady Liberty passed slowly, giving strength to all who saw her beautiful watch and light of life. The sight of her was haunting, almost ingraining her way into their souls upon the return to the country which was to offer so much to many people and now it was filled with such uncertainty that it was just as tragic as the sinking of the Titanic. Blame was to be placed at someone's feet, many would search for an absolution and many would never receive it. Insurance claims were already filed, others were demanding payments already with their strong worded letters to the White Star Line already in their hands but most wanted to find the peace. The answers which could never be found.

Sighing, Rose wanted to cry for those who had lost. Those who had loved. Those who had been dealt such a cruel fated hand and yet, she was about to exchange one life for another; in light of such a disaster. She was finding light and happiness.

The nights sky was bleak, stars were hidden amongst the clouds and it felt as though the rain would never end. It was as though the sky had wept for them, all the entire duration of their time about Carpathia.

''I long to feel the warmth.'' Rose closed her eyes, imaging the feel of the sun upon her back; it was almost a myth to her now. It was as though they hadn't felt the sun light for years.

''It won't be like this past tomorrow.''

Rose opened her eyes; they met with his concerned blue. They still stole her breath away and in them she found the utter trust. She was about to ask how he was sure that the bleakness wouldn't last much longer when they were approached by a ships officer holding a clipboard and a pen.

''Could I take your names, please?''

''Dawson.'' Jack offered. ''Jack and Rose Dawson.''

Parting her lips to speak, she closed them again once Jack had already given her name as his own. The officer thanked them, before he disappeared into the crowd of umbrellas which waited on the decks.

''Dawson?''

''Yes. It will ensure that the authorities cannot place us if Cal was to ever think to look for you.'' Jack told her, softly. ''I was never on the original passenger list from Southampton; you were beneath another name. It would throw off their search, or at least take a lot to unravel.''

Rose turned her attention back to the last glimpses of Lady Liberty from beneath the shade of her umbrella which Jack held in front of his chest. Stepping out from beneath it, she felt the rain start to tap against her face, soaking into her hair and the coat which she had worn since boarding the ship. It was awakening her; refreshing her, somehow. Her breathing was caught in her lungs as though she couldn't or had forgotten how to do such a simple thing such as inhale or exhale.

''Your protection of me is astounding,'' she almost whispered, ''you have given me so much, just to assure that I have a life which I want to live.''

''And, you have given me so much more.''

Jack offered the umbrella to a young woman who was passing, without the aid of rain protection and slowly, she took it from him; startled and thankful. He retreated to the rain with Rose; beside her. She turned to him with full and curious eyes.

''The second I saw you hanging from the back of that ship I was unable to ever let you pass me by. No matter what happened to me, I would not stop my protection of you.''

Rose's stomach was a riot of nerves, pain and absolute adoration. To stop the tears, the angst which had built over the past week was difficult and so for the first time since then, she didn't suppress it. The sob wracked her body and she fell against Jack's sturdy chest and he held her. He was the bravest of hearts and the strongest of souls. The light in the darkness which had been her entire life. His belief in her was astounding to her.

"I can only be thankful that you were there that night."

"Winning that ticket was the best thing to ever happen to me. It brought me to you and I'm thankful for that."

Clutching him to her tightly, she balled his shirt in her palm and shoved her face against his chest; it felt cold and wet to touch but it didn't matter, for that was the sanctuary for her, right there against him as he held her, even in the slightest way. The smell of his, the touch of his palm against her back; everything meant so much to her.

''What now?''

He stroked his hands down the length of her hair, calming her slowly. Biting her lip, trying to cease the tears from falling was impossible.

''We wait,'' he kissed the top of her head, ''then we follow what is meant to be the rest of our lives.''

The scent of him relaxed her. The way he spoke to her. The way he moved; it all healed her in some way. Could she spend the rest of her life with this man? The man she had known for less than a week.

Facing the grim reality of disembarking, of facing what should have been the happiest moment of most people life's, when in fact it was now to be the worst; was to her, the most freeing time. She had seen the fear within his eyes at times, even uncertainty but it soon cleared and it was replaced with a strong intention of some kind to ensure their safety. She had risked everything and laid down her own life to be with him; and he with her. That meant something. That was the part which she had clung to the most.

Past the Carpathia docking, who knows what was possible past the rails of a ship and beyond the endless waves of the sea. To carve out a future past this would be challenging with their limited knowledge of the other and the little skills which Rose had, but then there was the faith, which he instilled in her and in turn, she felt it within herself, someplace. Just a week ago she had been ready to end her life at the stern of a ship. Life changed...

Rose's tears didn't stop, they couldn't. She felt the soft movements of his body as he held her and she knew in that moment that he, too was crying. Perhaps for the first time since his own parents' deaths; she knew there was emotion. They could only hold each other, right there until the rain turned to a spit and the Carpathia passengers had disembarked first, in order to avoid the mass of photographers and the media frenzy which was to be caused.

Tomorrow's papers would be filled with the faces of survivors. Of those who had lost everything and they would be plastered across the column's the world over. Every facet of this story would fascinate people; even those who were without any knowledge of people aboard. The tragedy was what would speak to them, ploughing the world into a state of mourning.

Leaving this ship, disembarking onto dry land was now even more important for them; Rose was a new woman, with a new identity. Perhaps she should have insisted of using her own name for Cal knew of her leaving him for Jack. He knew everything, although the rest of the world didn't. To the outside world, Rose DeWitt Bukater had died on the Titanic. And part of her had...

She was the butterfly. One life was exchanged for another. One life which she was going to live to the fullest. A life which she was going to enjoy, to cherish and with a man who she had unknowingly deep rooted into her soul. Their future was wildly unwritten; could they be lovers? Perhaps just friends. She was going to be living under his name but was that as a wife?

To the outsiders, it was only after the Carpathia had docked at Pier 34 on April 18th at 9.25pm, that the true nature of the tragedy settled in. Passengers filtered out, some waited and others were too injured to be able to walk. Embalmers were dockside, ambulances, private cars and then there were the millions of magnesium flashes which went off, blinding those who were still in such a shock that their bodies had constant states of tremors.

Steerage passengers were led to a holding area in order to be processed, to understand any language barriers and to determine which charitable items would be needed, as several charities rallied to gather items of need for the survivors. Whilst others were led to their home town, to their private trains and to waiting carriages, to luxurious hotels and to warm houses; Jack and Rose were shoved into a crowd of thousands, pushed and pulled around as they were like ants in a swarm of people. Around them pathetic scenes unfolded; screams, cries, people fell to their knees and jumped to meet loved ones. Some were stood waiting for their loved ones to arrive; but they never came. They stood waiting for answers to the same questions which every seemed to be asking.

Several hundred police officers kept the mobs back. Reporters and photographers swarmed everywhere; some even worming their way up the gangplanks as passengers tried to pass them. They jostled to get closer to the survivors; for any information, for an exclusive update. For anything. They shouted over each other, to get their questions answered.

Rose wilted, slowly retreating into Jack's body. The noise was deafening; the flashes blinding...She was pushed once more, almost losing grip on Jack's hand, their fingers barely touched. Her eyes flashed with a panic or fright as the crowds almost shoved her forward, away from Jack, propelling each other about in waves and swarms of bodies.

''Stop pushing!'' He cried, pulling her arm as much as he could so that she was in front of him. He locked eyes with a reporter; a young man about his own age whose eyes were wide and curious; obviously he had never witnessed such a spectacle.

''Are you a survivor-?''

''No!'' Jack pushed forward, grasping Rose against him as he did. The reporter fell back, trampled out of the way. Fighting against the crowds, Jack propelled Rose forward towards the end, where dry land was just within reach. As they reached the edge of the gangplank, an official greeted them with a stern face.

''Names?''

''Dawson.'' Jack told him, calmly. ''Jack and Rose.''

''Right, that way.''

He pointed to a holding area for the immigrants. Rose walked forward with the other dazed passengers. In slow motion, the world seemed to be closing in around her. Lights blinded her time after time and she shielded her face with her hands, her weak body fell back against Jack and she thanked God that he was here to enable her to keep some strength. Her eyes ached. Her head was dizzy. Her body weak. She had no endurance left within her at all.

BOOM! Another magnesium flash went off and then the flash was blinding once more. Closing her eyes, Rose grasped onto Jack's hand tighter.

''Jack?''

From behind her, Jack placed his right hand at her waist, their luggage carried within his left. He leant forward so that his lips were at the base of her neck and then in her ears.

''It will be all right.''

Those were the words which throughout the entire charade she heard. The fear which had soaked through into her body now melted away, as the tickle of his breath against her dismissed all other emotion. She was rattled to her very core; his words the contact source of light in this darkened world. One had to believe that it would be all right, for there was nothing other than that to believe. His face buried within her hair and his hand at her waist steadying her allowed her to gain some strength. Her teeth chattered; her lips felt numb and it was as though her body was slowly succumbing to some sort of shock.

This felt like Hell itself.

There was a sudden disturbance of screams and Rose's eyes flew open, to witness two men fly through the cordon to reunite with an older woman before them. Several languages were mingled as one as all about witnessed the scene. The reporters converged on the emotional scene and suddenly they jostled together, crowding and the magnesium flashes went off once more...

BOOM!...Once...twice...three times...

She buried her face into Jack, not caring one little bit who were witnessing the moment and whether or not it was caught on the photographer's camera. It was terrifying. Others about her seemed to move freely and without caution as though they had their purpose already.

Jack's chest was tense; he, too, feeling the stress. His body felt sturdier than her own, strong enough to upstand the slight pushing of the crowd as the throng of people before them continued to collide in an emotional embrace.

In the blinding lights, Jack held Rose, using the moment as an opportunity; one to slip away from the crowds. No one challenged them within the confusion, as he led her away from the queue, the reporters and what would be their past.

The crowds grew thinner, the media circus less overwhelming and soon they were on the edges of the throng; heading away from what had been their ultimate nightmare and what had given them both utter freedoms – or at least the opportunity to be.

They moved with such purpose, all exhaustion seemed to have passed and the only thing which could be focused on was their future.

THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE - NEXT FEW CHAPTERS MIGHT BE A BIT UMM, STEAMIER. SO AVOID FROM HERE ON OUT AND LET THIS BE THE ENDING OF THE STORY. ;)