A/N: On this day last year, I uploaded the first chapter of this story! In honor of that, I'm posting the next chapter :) Enjoy!

Chapter 29

I opened the bedroom door to find Jack asleep in bed. He was laying on his back, a book balanced on his chest, his head turned to the side on the pillow, strands of hair falling into his eyes, his chest rising and falling with every breath. I smiled at him, at how perfect he was, even while asleep. I walked over to him, brushed the hair out of his eyes, and placed a light kiss on his forehead. I pulled the blanket over him, the same way I did when I tucked Mia in for bed. "Good night," I whispered, smiling down at him.

I closed the blinds, turned off all the lights but one, and started getting ready for bed. I brushed through my hair, removed my makeup, and changed into a nightgown. I stood in front of the mirror and looked at my reflection. So much had changed, and it was apparent from just one glance in the mirror. My hair was loose all the time, unrestrained just like my personality. I hardly wore any makeup anymore, not feeling the need. Jack told me I looked beautiful no matter what, and I was starting to believe him. I wore simple dresses now, ones that were comfortable, that I liked better simply because Jack bought them for me and because they represented my new life.

The biggest, most important change, however, was the growth of my stomach. This baby was a gift, a miracle, and now that Cal was out of the way forever, I felt nothing but excitement and happiness about this. I placed my hands on my stomach and turned to the side, noticing the changes in my body even just from these first few months of the pregnancy.

"What's wrong?" I turned around to see Jack awake, staring at me with one eye open and a crooked smile on his face.

I smiled at him. "Nothing's wrong," I answered, looking back at my reflection. "Everything's the opposite of wrong, Jack." I walked over to him and climbed into my side of the bed. He was laying down, and I was sitting up. "I was just thinking about how happy I am to be with you."

The blanket rustled as Jack's hand moved to my stomach, and his other moved to my cheek. "I'm so glad." He sat up, lightly pulling me closer to him. I leaned against him, and his arms wrapped around my waist, his hand secured on my stomach. I put my hand on top of his, admiring the ring on my finger. "I meant what I said, Rose. This doesn't have to be a marriage proposal unless you want it to be."

"I want it to be," I said immediately. I knew Jack didn't want to scare me with a marriage proposal the day after I got divorced, but I wasn't scared. I was ready after eight years to be Jack's wife, to promise to spend our lives together, to officially be Rose Dawson. "I want to marry you, Jack. I've wanted to marry you since I told you I'd get off Titanic with you, since I knocked on your door."

We shared a long kiss, and Jack's arms tightened around me. I winced and pulled away as his hand hit my bruise. "Oh- Rose, I'm so sorry," he said quietly. "I-I didn't mean to-"

"I know, it's okay," I answered. I could have spent more time convincing Jack that it didn't hurt or that soon I'd be better, but I knew he wouldn't believe me. The best option now was to change the subject. "So… where did you get this ring anyway?" I lifted my hand and held it up, admiring the ring. I had some of the most expensive jewelry in the world before, but I didn't want any of it. I wanted the necklace that Jack gave me and this ring.

"It was my mother's," he answered. I turned to look at him, not expecting his answer. "She would always tell me when I was a kid that one day I would meet a woman that I loved and wanted to marry, and that I'd give her this ring." He smiled as we locked eyes. "I know she would want you to have it."

I couldn't help but smile. "You think so?"

"Oh, of course," he smiled back. "My mother would've loved you. And she would've loved Mia. So would Clara," Jack let out a laugh. "Clara was the one who always talked about wanting to settle down, having a big family and all that. I was the one who couldn't stay in one place, who always talked about traveling the world. She would always tell me that I wanted the same life she did, but that I didn't know it yet. And she was always right."

I smiled, though I couldn't help feeling sad that he missed her every single day. I wished I could bring her back for him. "I thought about her a lot when you were gone. I actually had a dream where she told me that you would be back. And she was right." He held my hand in his, his finger tracing the diamond. "I just wish you could've met them, that they could've met you and Mia."

"I know," I whispered. I turned and placed my hand on Jack's cheek. "I'm so sorry, Jack."

Jack smiled and leaned forward, placing a kiss on my cheek. "Don't worry about me, Rose," he whispered. "I'm very happy… the happiest I've ever been." He smiled at me, a real, genuine smile. "I have you, the woman I love more than anything else in the entire world. I have Mia, this baby." He tucked a curl behind my ear, rubbed my cheek, and smiled. "I love you so much, sweetheart."

I smiled. Jack wasn't one to use pet names often, but that didn't mean he didn't show me how much he loved me every chance he got. He would always wrap his arms around me, kiss me all over and make me laugh, and tell me how much he loved me. He would say goodbye before going to work, make it down the walkway, and then run back for one more kiss.

Jack leaned forward and took my lips in his. I deepened it, signaling I wanted more than just a kiss. Jack pulled away for a moment, knowing what I was after. "A-Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked. "I don't wanna hurt you."

I shook my head. "You won't." He smiled before leaning forward, kissing me again. I put my hand on the back of his neck as he put his on my leg, a spot he knew wasn't hurt. Everything Jack did was so intentional, so full of love. He loved me in ways I never knew were possible. He was everything to me.

•••

Even while asleep, I could feel Jack's lips on my bare shoulder, the warmth of his touch as his hand reached for mine. My mouth curved up in a smile and my eyes opened, searching for his. "Good morning," he whispered. He placed his free hand on my cheek and leaned forward, touching his lips to mine.

"Good morning," I whispered. "Mia didn't wake me… she must have slept through the night." I sat up and grabbed the kimono from the chair next to me, slipping my arms in and wrapping it around me. "I'm going to check on her, and then I thought maybe you can show me around Chippewa Falls." I climbed out of bed and walked over to his side, leaning down to kiss him. "Sound good?"

"I have to work," Jack frowned.

"Oh… well, another day then." Jack nodded. We shared one more kiss before I walked away and went to Mia's room. I opened the door to find her asleep but stirring lightly.

I sat down in the rocking chair in the corner of the room and watched as she slowly woke up. "Mommy?" Her eyes opened and focused on me, her mouth curving up in a smile.

I walked over and sat next to her. "Good morning," I smiled. She took my hand in her two little ones and noticed the new ring on my finger. "Are you going back to Father?" I froze as she asked me that; why would she ask me if I was going back to Cal? Usually I understood how Mia's mind worked, but this time I didn't.

She held one of my hands in her two little ones, playing with each of my fingers and then twisting my engagement ring around in circles. "Is Father gonna yell at you because I came downstairs?"

As that memory resurfaced, I realized that Mia associated having a ring with Cal, that she would hold my hand and play with my engagement ring when she was scared. "No, Mia," I answered. She was still looking down, her eyes fixated on my ring. I placed my free hand on her cheek, lifting her face gently. "Listen to me, my sweet girl. No one is going back to your father. You and I are here together forever, with Jack. And you will never see your father again." She stared at me with tears in her eyes. "Do you understand?"

Mia nodded slowly, holding my hand in hers. "Come here," I opened my arms to her, and she moved into them. I lifted her up and carried her over to the rocking chair. "The reason I'm wearing a ring again is because Daddy and I are getting married," I explained. "We promised each other that we would be together forever."

"So you're not going back to Father?" She asked nervously.

I shook my head. "No, I'm not going back there," I told her. I held her close to me, cradling her in my arms. "I'm never leaving you ever again, Mia. I promise. Never again." She leaned closer to me, resting her head against my chest. I rocked us back and forth, kicking my legs gently.

•••

I got Mia and myself dressed before leaving the house for the first time. We had gone outside before, but we hadn't actually gone anywhere. We only took short walks or went out for air. Now, we were walking to David and Bella's house for the first time, since they had known about me leaving and they were worried.

Mia was holding one of my hands and one of Jack's, swinging back and forth. We both laughed as we lifted her off the ground and heard her laugh too. Finally, after a few minutes, Mia got tired of that activity and released both of our hands, skipping away. "Don't go too far ahead, Mia!"

Jack reached out and took my hand, intertwining his fingers with mine. I smiled as I felt his rough hand against mine. That was one more thing we hadn't really done. We didn't often just walk together, walking silently but holding hands. I loved everything new we could do now, even something as little as this.

We walked up to one house, one that looked very similar to Jack's. Jack knocked on the door and within a few seconds, Bella opened it. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of me. "Oh my goodness! Y-you're back!" she hesitated before grinning. "My god, I-... Oh, come in, come in." Jack took my hand again as we all three walked inside.

Almost immediately, a little boy ran up to us. I knew just by looking at him that he was Bella's son. He looked just like her. "Hi Mia!" He exclaimed. "Do you wanna come play with me?"

Mia looked up at me as if asking what to do. "It's okay, you can go play." She still didn't release my hand, and I realized that the problem wasn't that she didn't want to play with him, it was that she was afraid I would disappear if she left me. "I'll still be here, Mia. I promise." She finally nodded and skipped away, running off. I sighed and felt Jack take my hand, squeezing it for comfort.

We all talked for a few minutes before Jack and David needed to leave for work, leaving Bella and I alone while Mia and Oliver played. "So… Jack told me you're pregnant," she sat down next to me and handed me a cup of tea. "How are you feeling?"

"I was scared at first, since we were still in hiding and we didn't know if or when we would be found. I didn't want to bring a baby into that. But now…" I started to smile. "Now, I couldn't be happier. There are still things that need to be sorted out, of course, but we're together again."

Bella smiled. "Well, I couldn't be happier for you and Jack. I always hoped he'd find someone like you, and he loves you both so much." I couldn't help but smile like a silly schoolgirl. While I was still thinking about Jack, Bella changed the topic. "So, I could pretend not to notice the ring on your finger and wait for you both to tell me about it, but I'm not that patient." We both laughed, and I looked down at my ring. "Are you engaged?"

I knew Jack would have wanted to be there to tell his friends, but what was I supposed to do now? "Yes," I said finally. "Jack didn't want to pressure me to marry him so soon, so he didn't ask me a question, he made a promise. But…" I stared down at the ring, then looked at Bella. "I would marry him today, if that were possible. I'm not traumatized or scared, I-" I paused and laughed. I had just escaped a horrible marriage, and I wasn't afraid? That was a ridiculous thought, until I realized that of course I wasn't afraid. This was Jack. This was different. "I'm in love with him."

Bella smiled. "Okay, listen," she began, putting down her mug. "I think you and Jack are perfect for each other. He loves you more than anything in this world, and I know you love him too, Rose. But… I wouldn't be doing my job as one of his best friends and as his sister's best friend, if I didn't tell you not to break his heart. He's lost everything in his life. His parents, Clara, you… twice." She sighed. "Just take care of him."

I nodded. "I will, I promise," I told her. "I could never stop loving Jack. No matter what." I paused for a moment, realizing the real reason Bella had brought this up. "Is this because of my past?" She looked confused, so I continued. "I married Cal, had a child with him, and a few years later I took his child and ran."

"Hold on, Rose," she shook her head. "I know that your ex-husband did horrible things to you and Mia, and I know that taking Mia out of there was the right thing to do. This really has nothing to do with any of that. I'd say this to anyone planning on marrying Jack, no matter what their history." She looked down at the ground for a moment. "And when Clara died… I promised I'd take care of her brother… Even though Jack never really needed anyone to take care of him."

"I understand," I answered. "And I promise, I'm not going to break Jack's heart."

She gave me a satisfied nod, and I got the sense she understood that the love Jack had for me was mutual, that I couldn't ever leave Jack or break his heart intentionally. I could see that things were the same way for her and David, that their eyes always seemed to find each other when in the same room, how his arms always searched for her. I recognized those signs, since Jack and I did the same thing.

•••

For the rest of the day, Mia and Oliver played together while Bella and I talked over tea. "So you spat in your fiance's face?" Bella laughed.

I laughed too. "Yes, I did." My stomach hurt from laughing so hard, something that hadn't happened to me in a very long time. I stopped laughing and sighed. "If it weren't for Mia, I would wish I had never gone back to him in the first place." I looked down at my mug. "He gave me Mia, so I can't regret any of this… but I wish I would've run sooner. I wish I had left the first time he hurt me."

"You did the best you could," she answered. "I think Jack would agree with me here; you did everything right. From taking Mia from there to sacrificing yourself for her… you were an amazing mother through it all."

I nodded and smiled at her. "What is it with you all and making me feel better?" I asked. "Is it a Chippewa Falls thing?"

Bella laughed. "Oh, no no no. It's a 'being raised by Dawsons' thing," she said. "I had good parents, but they didn't really understand me at all. I spent every free moment in the Dawson household, with Jack, Clara, and David. Jack's parents treated me like one of their children."

"I didn't know that."

"Clara was my best friend," she told me. "I love Jack and David, and I always did, but Clara was my only female friend… even now, the other mothers don't like me."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because… this whole town loved the Dawsons," she shrugged. "And in their eyes, I took David from Clara… even though I didn't force David to be with me... I would never do that." She paused, looking far off in the distance. "This town has always felt special in a lot of ways… but the gossip mill works the same way it does anywhere else."

"Well… you've got another friend now," I told her. "And if what you say about the gossip mill is true, then this town certainly won't like the fact that I, a divorced woman with a daughter, pregnant out of wedlock, am with Jack. So, if anything, we'll be in it together."

Bella smiled. "You're really awesome, has anyone told you that before?" I smiled, happy to finally be somewhere that felt right. She looked away from me and out the window. "Look who's back."

Jack. I smiled, running out the door and down the front path. He saw me running towards me and instantly grinned. I jumped into his arms, and he caught me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. "Miss Dewitt Bukater," he smiled, touching his nose to mine. "How improper."

"Let's start talking about our wedding," I said abruptly. He knit his eyebrows and smiled, the way he always did when I surprised him. "I don't want to spend another second not married to you."