Portraits of Love
by Erin Salvatore
Disclaimer: I don't own Titanic. I'm just borrowing. Only the story belongs to me.
Note: Yeah, I got this weird idea to do a one shot collection featuring Jack and Rose. Don't ask, it just came to me on a whim. No spoilers.
Rose opened her eyes and saw that she was in the hospital. At first, she didn't know why she was there, but when she turned her head to see Jack standing at her bedside, a pink bundle in his arms, it dawned on her – she had just given birth.
"They brought her into the room a little while ago," he said. "I was holding her while you were resting. She's beautiful, Rose, just like her mother."
Rose smiled sleepily. "I think she's got some of your features as well."
Jack returned her smile. "That's true." He looked down at his daughter and then back at his wife. "Would you like to hold her? I think she'd like to meet her mommy."
Rose nodded and reached out for Jack to hand the baby over to her. He gently placed the bundle in her arms and sat on the bed. He couldn't have been happier to have them in his life and would do anything in his power to make sure they were protected.
There was a silence between them until Rose said, "What should we name her? I know we were trying for weeks to find the perfect name for her and nothing seemed to jump out at us."
Jack bit his lip and thought long and hard about what to call the precious angel they had brought into the world. Ever since they found out they were having a girl, they had searched for the perfect name and came up with nothing, deciding to wait until after the baby was born and see if they could find a good name then. Well, it's now or never, Jack. Your daughter is here and needs a name.
"I think I know just the right name for her."
"You do?" said Rose. "Well, don't keep me in suspense, Jack. What's our daughter's name going to be?"
"Angela," he said. "Angela Josephine Dawson. Think about it, she's beautiful, like an angel from heaven, so what better name than Angela?"
"I love it," said Rose. "It fits her." She looked at her daughter. "Welcome to the world, Angela Josephine Dawson. Mommy and Daddy love you very much and we've waited so long to meet you."
Jack smiled and watched as Rose guided little Angela to her breast so she could nurse. He never knew fatherhood could be so magical and now he had a wife and daughter to love and care for. He wished his parents could have been here to see their son have his own family.
Rose looked at him. "Are you okay, Jack? You look like you're a million miles away."
"Just thinking, mostly about my parents," he said. "They would have loved to have met Angela if they were here."
Rose nodded. When they were getting to know each other, Jack had told her his parents had died when he was fifteen. "Well, I have no doubt they're smiling down on us from heaven as we speak. I also know they're proud of the man you've become."
"You think so?"
"I know so," said Rose. "Jack, you've come a long way since then. It wasn't easy, but you didn't let the fact you were an orphan change you. You persevered and that's one of the things I love about you." She smiled. "I'm honored to be married to you, Jack, and nothing will ever change how I feel about you."
Jack smiled and kissed her tenderly. Rose giggled against his lips as she returned the kiss. She then heard Angela whimpering and saw that she was done with the breast she had been feeding from, ready for the next one. She shifted positions so Angela could continue nursing. Jack couldn't help but be impressed by this. Rose noticed the look on his face when she looked at him again.
"What?"
"Nothing, just impressed with how fast a learner she is."
"Oh, well, I'm a fast learner myself," said Rose. "This little one is going to need me to be there for her and I can't let her down."
"You won't let her down," said Jack. "I have all the faith in the world in you, and I know she does too."
Once Angela was done, Rose let out a yawn. "I'm sorry."
"Hey, don't be sorry. You just pushed a baby out of you and that took a lot of energy."
"You're a saint, Jack," said Rose. "I must've been a nightmare to be around these past nine months."
"Rose, it's okay, you don't have to explain yourself to me," said Jack. "And you weren't a nightmare to be around. Believe me, I've had pregnant foster mothers and they put their husbands through a lot worse."
Rose nodded. "Still, there were times where I wasn't in the best of moods and took it out on you. Hell, I think I even cursed at my mother. Oh God, do you think that's why she's not here? I'd hate to think she's afraid to meet her grandchild because of the way I spoke to her."
"Your mother is on her way here right now," said Jack. "She called while you were asleep."
"She did?"
"Yes," said Jack. "She even apologized for not coming to the hospital when you went into labor. It had nothing to do with the way you spoke to her, if that's what you're worried about."
"Oh, thank God," said Rose. "I was afraid I insulted her." She sighed. "There's never going to be a dull moment in this family, is there, Jack?"
"No, definitely not," said Jack. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."
Note: Thus begins my collection of AU ficlets starring Jack and Rose. There will be others, I promise.