Last chapter, I know this story was sporadic but I wanted it to be told in snapshots. I actually really fell in love with the concept and its now over! Thanks for reading.

Part Seven – Out in The Light

Mr. Astor's City Home.

The heavy woollen coat which was draped over Rose's shoulders shielded her from the afternoon chill. It wasn't windy, but the sun did seem to warm the air. Beneath her booted feet, the grass crunched. The only sign of late summer was the faded sun which had burned so brightly and beautifully throughout the entire month of August but now with the fall approaching, it would fade off as the leaves dwindled and turned into a bright orange and then eventually brown. The garden spanned out before her; lined with lovely trees, flowers and bushes. One could only imagine how wonderful it was to witness in all seasons as the weather changed and brought along brand-new challenges with it. The differing sights and smells of the seasons were always a wonderful appeal to Rose, and now, with the ability to simply sit in a state of absolute bliss and silently witness the beauty of it was a newfound element to her life but also, the tranquillity which she had discovered existed within nature.

She softened her squint, placing both hands at her sides without the need for gloves, just yet. Her soft curls tumbled over the fur trim of her coat. Her head raised from the neatly trimmed grass and slowly she met Jack's gaze. Crystal blue eyes penetrated hers deeply. This was the first time they had truly been alone in some time. There was always someone about, some work to do for Jack and the fair few times that they had come across the other, it tended to be within the company of another.

Since leaving Philadelphia their lives had become a whirling memory of travelling aboard a rickety train and learning how to live somewhat freely. Jack had taken her, wearing a sodden, ripped wedding dress to Mr and Mrs. Astor's. It was the only real home that he had, despite been a lowly member of the household staff, he had thought Rose would be safer there just a few days, but that had extended to over eight weeks. Jack continued his employment and Rose had sat with Madeleine, who just days after their arrival, had given birth to her son, John Jacob Astor VI. No one had spoken of the wedding itself, or her reasons for leaving the chaos strewn across the newspapers of the country. Still, it felt a dream how she had defied everything in her life to find herself back at the same house where she and Jack met a year prior. A night that felt like such a lifetime ago, when Rose's calendar was filled with such tedious events; endless gatherings of small-minded people who wished to do nothing but gather the gossips and then spread it about to the winds. The one time when Madeleine Astor had discussed the actual wedding, it had been approving of her decision to jilt Caledon Hockley, even to have fled with a man of lower class than her, it seemed to matter very little. A friend is a friend, she had said. Regardless of their marital status, or class.

The corners of Rose's mouth began to twitch into a smile, recollecting the moment that she had almost stumbled from a step into Jack's arms in the darkness in a strange turn of events which had altered the course of her entire life.

''I can't remember a day so lovely.'' Jack smiled, not taking his eyes from hers. "Or perhaps I have just been inside a kitchen for far too long."

''No, it does feel as though we are feeling fall approach quicker than perhaps anticipated this year."

Jack offered his arm to her, slowly she came to him and linked hers, holding onto his bicep as they went. She felt the warmth of his body close to her. He held her other hand, as it linked through his arm, entwining their fingers so lightly. It was a small but intimate gesture on both of their parts. Both welcomed the silence as they walked slowly. Their thoughts were their own as she strolled, taking in the sights of the surroundings. If there was any discomfort, it wasn't made aware of. Every few seconds, Jack glanced sideways, his eyes watching Rose ever so carefully. There was a change in her, one ever so subtle but it was still noticeable, to him anyway. It was the way she held her head higher, her walk was slower and less controlled as it had been. Her demeanour toward his was softened and familiar whilst she still carried the heir of gracefulness about her.

Jack, himself felt elated at how far they had both come. But now, as he clasped Rose's cool hand in his, he found the lush garden, lovely autumn day and any other pretty thing which he had ever witnessed were dull in comparison to this single moment, Rose was beaming, full of vitality. She was beautiful even in a brown calf skin coat of brown and beige.

As Rose turned to him, his feet seemed to stop as her eyes were large, brimming with unshed tears. He felt the lump in his own throat rise. With his right hand he rubbed his finger along her lash line, wiping them away. He noticed that at his single touch, her breathing stopped and it took a second or two for her chest to rise and fall again. His hand lingered over her right cheek, to her ear where he gently tucked a small curl behind it. Her eyes closed, as she relished the feel of his hand, his touch. He released her arm, simply holding her other hand. He felt the soft tremble of her body. He affected her just as she did him. He knew in that moment that there was no need to question whether her feelings for him had waned. There was simply a lot of hesitance from both parts, this territory was both unfamiliar and possibly unsettling for them. Their lives had taken a route which neither of them would ever have imagined and now they were here, stood side by side still waiting for the Earth to stop spinning quite so fast, just so that they could pause for a moment.

''I don't have the words to tell you how much you mean to me.''

Rose's eyes searched his face, for something which she did not know. His eyes spoke volumes to her and it was though she knew this, yet she couldn't absorb anything. Could he hear just how hard her heart was hammering so? How influenced she was by him? Swallowing heavily, she responded.

''Your presence in my life has made me whole again.'' Her voice cracked. ''Now, here you are, it still feels like a dream of which I could awaken at any given point.''

''I won't leave you. I can't.''

Rose closed her eyes as she leant against his body, gaining a quiet confidence. He held her, pulling her to his body with both hands. She took her strength from him, in the darkest moments when she felt redundant in any way. As she opened her eyes, she couldn't help but notice the brightness of the sky. Birds flew overhead and she thought of autumn; how the leaves turned colours, how the beauty of seasons changed so rapidly and before one could blink it would be winter once more. A winter spent where? Perhaps that would be the appeal. Where could her life be within the next eight weeks? Just how did so much change within so little time?

Jack lightly pressed his lips to her hair. She trembled beneath his grasp.

''Are you cold?''

Rose shook her head slowly. ''No.'' She pulled back from his chest so that they were almost face to face.

''I'm afraid.'' She confessed, her voice small and timid. Her lashed lowered. ''Scared of how I feel for you.''

Rose heard his breathing quicken. Her own body continued to shake. She had tried to stall the thoughts of his lips; how they had once kissed her. The first kiss which she had ever encountered, sometimes though, there was a stronger need. For something more. She was still a woman. He had awoken that side of her when they had met, and now he had ignited it again. Her body was no longer alien to her; it was waking up. The need was there. Since the moments outside of the church, there had been no further intimacies between them aside from a small peck upon her cheek or hair now and then. Time alone was a rarity, even in a house as large as the Astor's. Rose occupied a room on the same floor as the new infant, whereas Jack was in a lowly quarter with a single cot and sink. The stark contrast still felt vast and Rose needed to close that; no just the classes but between the pair of them. That what the requirement were in order for them to truly feel as though they were the equivalent of each other and Rose longed to feel that.

''I love you.''

Jack's words were so clear, so vivid and they struck her so hard. She was stunned, stalling to a stop. The sincerity swimming about in those bright blue eyes shone beyond the sun and moon.

''Since the day I took a walk out in these gardens for a cigarette and heard your footsteps, and there you were, a vision.'' He smiled. ''By some goddamned miracle you ran into my life. You—you told me that you waited for me, wanted to see me and-'' He stuttered through his words.

''I meant that.''

Both of his hands were on her cheeks.

''It has taken us both time to settle our minds just a little bit. After the wedding, we were both in shock at the change in our lives. We were brought together, somehow and I felt that you needed a sanctuary just for a little while.''

''I feel safe here. I feel safe anywhere with you, Jack. JJ and Madeleine's generosity has been truly wonderful.''

''It has. But I brought you here, just so that I could get my head down, work hard and I—I hope that,'' Jack sighed, frustrated with himself, somehow, and then, it came tumbling out. ''I wanted to make some money so that we could have the freedom that you desire so badly.''

''Jack, I have the freedom, I have that.''

''Then, let me look after you. Let me either make a home for you, or let me take you away; take you to places where you haven't been. Away from prying eyes. Somewhere to just be a woman.''

Rose couldn't speak, her voice was lost amongst her own emotion. The fact that he was so close to her, so close, made her struggle with everything. Her eyes travelled to his lips. Her own mouth was dry, numb and trembling.

''Let us be free. If you want that, with me. If you have no wish for any other.''

''Everything I walked away from; it means nothing. You are everything, I-I love you, so much.''

Jack heart soared. He pressed their foreheads together; his eyes didn't leave hers. ''Oh, Rose-'' He couldn't even complete the sentence for nothing more could be said.

''My heart was completely yours. All along. I just-I lost myself somehow. I was always in the dark. '' Rose held back the tears as she remembered those lonely months in which melancholy had threatened to swallow her whole. The months in which she had truly felt lost in herself, her life and as though the only real purpose that she had was to be decorative. To simply sit and be suppressed and suffocated until there was not an ounce of breath left within her to argue or to protest something. There was very little use for her in the walls of society.

''Have you found the light?''

The power of his stare, of his words were so intense and strong that she clung to his arms just to hold up her own fragile body. The air turned ever so warm, so quiet as though the life of the garden had shushed to allow this moment between them.

When Jack had kissed her the first time; any nerves had ceased right away. He had made her feel so secure, more than she ever believed she could feel. His mouth against hers had ignited something which she had only read about in the fairy tales hidden deep within her library. That first kiss had been wonderful. Now that was just a memory, flickering at the front of her mind while the fire was slowly igniting in her stomach. It was growing brighter...stronger. Jack closed the space between them, his lips covered hers just once. It was unexpected and she had barely taken a breath before he had stolen it away from her. Automatically her eyes closed. Everything disappeared. He was so soft, and he trembled against her. His fingers stroked the sides of her face, into her hair and she melted against him as her legs seemed to buckle. This was what she remembered most of all. The way he made her feel. She had to remember to take slow, steady breathes to calm her racing heart as she allowed him to kiss her freely, deeply. He tasted as she remembered, so much so that she wanted more. She couldn't stop now. Her hands shook as they found his shoulders, his neck and then his hair. She felt the unwavering need to remove the barriers of clothing which prevented their skin from pressing together.

He needed her, too. He pulled her closer to him and yet he knew that she couldn't be any nearer to him. He had to feel that she was there, with him. He couldn't stop kissing her and she offered no hesitation at all. His hands threaded through her hair, and the other held her hips. The heat between them simmered, almost boiling over the brim. It was her who slowly pulled away from him, ever so slightly. Her eyes flickered open and it was like seeing light in the dark. They were watery. Her teeth bit into her lip before she ran her tongue across it, as though she was tasting him. She was breathless, they both were.

"Yes, I found the light."

A boyish grin crossed his face, and she, too couldn't help but smile. Butterflies bubbled in the pit of her stomach as she clung to him still. He leant forward to kiss her lips, just once quickly.

''Well, the garden hasn't been much of an interest to you as it did the last time that you were here.'' He broke the silence and she laughed at his remark.

''No, I presume not.''

Jack hesitantly loosened his grip on her. She took his arm once more, as the grass crunched beneath their feet.

''What would interest you, then?''

They moved forwards, onto the steps which led downwards. The clenching within her stomach seemed to settle for a moment.

''I thought you never planned past today?''

''I don't usually, but I have to think too tomorrow now as well. I have to think of you before me.'' Jack placed his hands upon her shoulders to dismiss any fear which might have gathered.

''I don't wish to intrude on your life,'' she told him, glancing to her feet. He used his finger to propel her chin upwards to watch him.

''There was very little life in me before you. I thought I was living for something, my parent's memory perhaps but I know now that I was lonely, achingly so.''

''I know that all too well.''

''When you leave here, I do not know what you plan to do, what your intentions are towards me or how-''

''Shh.'' She quietened him with a finger to the lips, surprising him. ''You told me to just go with it, to not think.''

''Yes, and you relaxed.'' Jack smiled at the memory.

''I stopped thinking and let myself do what felt natural.''

''What is that?''

With a hand at the nape of his neck, Rose pulled him down, crushing her lips to his with such force that their teeth almost clashed. If he was surprised, he didn't show as his own hands came up to her waist, holding her steadily there. Their lips worked, sucking and twisting as though it would be their last. It was unlike the others; tentative and tender. There seemed to be some filter which had removed their absolute hesitance and now, she clung to him as though her life depended upon it. She was utterly weakened by him. Seduced by him...

''I love the fire within you.'' He whispered against her lips, before taking her mouth once more. It was warm there with him, in his arms.

The fire had always burned within her, perhaps dimly at first and then when it flourished, there had always been someone to distinguish it but now, it was free to burn as bright and as high as it ever could.

''Don't even let that burn out.'' Jack whispered against her forehead. ''I love that most about you.''

The air had fallen silent once more. Another barrier had been torn down and discarded with the wind. Jack Dawson had exposed his innermost wound to Rose; his heart.

Hope seemed to flicker within glimmering eyes and she found the strength to move her hand from his. This time, it was her who shakily placed her hand upon his cheek and felt the warmth there. The touch affected him visibly causing him to tremor just slightly to notice.

Jack exhaled deeply. ''I live my life from day to day; I never plan past this moment, because this is what I will never want to let go of.''

Rose blinked her eyes; his stare returned to fix on her and she became paralysed once more and only became aware of the feel of his skin beneath her fingers and then his own fingers as they curled around her own.

''Never let go of me,'' she whispered, repeating his words as though they were an affirmation.

''I won't.'' He breathed into her and she smiled softly, feeling just how happy he made her.

''Well,'' she hesitated, glancing to their feet, at the soft grass and then back to him. ''You could marry me.''

''I could, huh?'' Jack raised his brow, shaking his head as he pulled her deeper into the gardens.

''Yes.''

''Well, if you would have waited until we got to the damned steps where we met but if you insist on a proposal then it will have to be now, won't it.''

Before she could protest, or care to guess if he was jesting. He sank to his knees on the damp grass in front of her and there, her wish came true.