Jack and Rose returned to Molly's diner with Rose's bags in hand and their spirits high. The plan was to drop the bags off in Jack's room, grab breakfast, and then make their way to the justice of the peace at last! Rose wanted to become Mrs. Jack Dawson as soon as possible. She felt that in doing so, she was putting the final nail in the coffin of her old life. They had just dumped her bags onto Jack's bed when Rose suddenly had a change of heart.

"Jack?" Rose wrung her hands nervously. She suddenly felt sick, as if there was a bunch of butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. She was pretty sure that if she even tried to eat breakfast, it would be a disaster.

"Rose?" Jack asked, patting her pockets, in search of his wallet.

"Um...I've changed my mind."

Jack frowned as he turned his attention to his supposed bride to be. Did she just say that she had changed her mind? Why? What did he do wrong? Could he fix this? "What?"

"I changed my mind. I don't think that we should eat breakfast before the wedding. I'm so full of nerves, I don't think I'd be able to keep anything down. I'm afraid I'll throw up instead of saying I do."

Jack couldn't help but laugh at himself. Of course Rose wouldn't change her mind! She had gone through so much, just to get to this point! There was no way that she didn't want this! "Thank god! I thought that you had changed your mind about getting married!"

"What? No! Never! I would never change my mind about marrying you! I am positive that becoming your wife is what I want! More than anything!"

"Ok. So no breakfast, not yet. We go to city hall, say our vows, then we have a wedding brunch?"

Rose couldn't help but laugh at the word brunch coming from Jack. "That's a word my mother would use."

"Well, that's what it's called, right? A meal that's after breakfast but before lunch?" Jack rolled his eyes in good humor, enjoying the sound of Rose's laughter.

"Yes. It's just such a fancy, overly pretentious word, don't you think?"

"I think it's time we get going before it's a wedding dinner we're enjoying," Jack chuckled, offering his arm for Rose to take.

…..

Thirty minutes later, Jack and Rose found themselves standing in front of city hall, ready to enter and join their lives together. Jack was having doubts...or rather worries. He still wasn't sure that this was a wise thing to do. What if he died over there in Vietnam? What would become of Rose then? She'd be his widow. All of this was for a dream that may never come true. This could ruin her life! How could he make her his widow at such a young age? He loved her so much...maybe even too much. He wanted forever with her, but was forever really his to give?

"Here we are," Rose looked up at the formidable building that was going to change her life.

"Here we are," Jack sighed, turning to Rose and taking her hand. "Rose...are you sure about this? I mean, really? I'm making you a wife today, but next month you could be a widow. Is that what you really want?"

"Of course this is what I really want, Jack. As for being made a widow next month...well I can do the same to you! I can get hit by a car or killed in a robbery. Tomorrow isn't promised to any of us, not to you or to me. That's why I agreed with you when you said to make each day count. That's one thing I can do and I want to make this time we have together count, Jack. I want to marry you. We can deal with the future when it gets here."

"Well, what are we waiting for then," Jack chuckled as he realized that Rose was living by his own words when they had first met. "Let's go make this count."

Hand in hand, the couple entered city hall, determined to make the time together count.

…..

It didn't take long to sign the marriage license or to exchange the vows that tied them together until death did them part. Rose couldn't believe how quick and easy it had all been. When her mother had talked about her wedding to Cal, Rose had been sure that getting married was a long, odious affair! But it really wasn't! Once all the planning and arranging was skipped, it was really a quick, lovely experience! Rose wouldn't have had it any other way!

Stepping out of city hall, Rose took her first deep breath as Rose Dawson.

"How do you feel?" Jack asked, unable to take his eyes off of her.

"Like my life has finally just begun to be honest," Rose giggled, gripping Jack's hand in hers. "I am also very hungry. I think we should head to Molly's now."

"Me too. A huge wedding brunch is next on the agenda," Jack grinned, lifting her hands to his lips for a quick kiss before leading her to the cafe.

It didn't take them long to get there. Only fifteen minutes, thanks to the need to stop and kiss each other every two minutes. To everyone that saw them that day, they were two kids in love, acting like newlyweds. No one even guessed that they were actually newlyweds. Especially not the two people waiting in a booth inside the diner. Rose and Jack were in the midst of one last kiss as they entered, oblivious to any and everything around them.

Neither of them noticed Cal and Ruth until Cal spoke up at the sight of them.

"Sweetpea! There you...what is this? Get your hands off of my fiancee sir!" Caledon Hockley exclaimed, now fully on his feet and glaring at Jack and Rose, who both stared back in shock. He was the last person that they had expected to see that day!

"Cal?" Rose stared, unable to believe that such a beautiful day was now in danger of being ruined! Gah, she should have known that last night wouldn't be the end of it!

"Rose, what do you think you are doing?! First, you show up this morning at the house with this...boy! And now here you are again with him, acting as if you have no worries in the world! Like this is completely normal!" Ruth stood beside Cal, her eyes flashing with indignant rage.

Rose couldn't believe the audacity of her mother and Cal. How many times must she go through this with them?! It was really becoming annoying! She decided that the best way to handle this was the blunt, maybe even cruel way. She had tried to be nice and gentle. She had tried to be firm, but neither option had worked. She stepped closer to Jack and kissed him long and deep, making it clear who she was going to be with. She pulled away from the kiss and turned to face her mother and former fiancee.

"Number one, Cal. I am not your fiancee, nor will I ever be again. I had broken it off with you, remember? I even gave back that gaudy engagement ring. Please have some dignity about yourself and go away and ignore my mother when she calls. It really is quite pathetic."

"Rose!" Ruth exclaimed, even more outraged than before. "What has gotten into you?! Caledon does not deserve to be spoken to in such a vulgar manner!"

"Any embarrassment that Mr. Hockley here has suffered is his own fault. But if you must blame someone other than him, blame yourself. You are the one who keeps dragging him back into your lurid fantasies, mother. Really, it is embarrassing for you both," Rose continued, trying not to laugh at how wide Ruth's eyes were getting as she became more indignant. It was rather comical.

"Is everything alright here?" Molly stepped out of the kitchen and into the dining area. She had hoped that Cal and Ruth would have gotten bored and left before Rose and Jack returned. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

"You!" Ruth turned on poor Molly. Rose had been a well brought up girl before that woman had come to town and filled her head with all these silly notions! She had ruined Rose! "This is all your fault!"

"Oh mother, really. Stop trying to blame Molly. She has nothing to do with this. This is your own fault for not listening to me and finding some other solution to your problem. Oh, Molly, by the way, congratulate me! I am now Rose Elizabeth Dawson! Jack and I got married this morning!" Rose happily announced, holding up the hand that wore the gold band that was Jack's mother's wedding ring. She had been so touched when he told her what it was as he slid the band onto her finger.

"What?!" Cal, Ruth, and Molly exclaimed all at the same time, completely shocked.

Rose simply smiled, happy that this time she won't be ignored. "Jack and I got married just about a half-hour ago. It was just a simple trip to the justice of the peace and it was done. I never thought getting married to the man I love would be so quick and easy. Mother had me thinking it was some long, impossible ritual."

"God almighty," Molly shook her head in amusement. This was something that she had definitely not been expecting.

"Have you completely lost your mind?!" Ruth yelled, wanting to slap some sense into her daughter's head, yet knowing that she couldn't. She shuddered at the thought of the scandal that doing such a thing would cause! This marriage was going to be a big enough scandal as it was!

"No, I haven't mother. I am completely sane. I am doing what I want and with who I want and you have nothing to say about it. I tried to tell you the nice, civilized way, but you refused to accept it. Now you have no choice to."

Cal, who had been quiet for the last few minutes moved out from the booth and silently walked over to the newlyweds and glared darkly at the couple.

"It really is a little slut, isn't it?" Cal raised his hand to slap Rose, but it was Jack's strong and sure grip that stopped the slap from connecting.

"You keep your fucking hands off of my wife!" Jack glared at Cal, squeezing the wrist hard until the older man cried out in pain. "Why don't you come out back and fight a man, huh? Oh, I get it. You're one of those assholes that like to hit women. You're too chickenshit to fight a man."

"Lovejoy!" Cal managed to call for his bodyguard, who usually was around to protect him in these situations.

"Oh look, Rose. He's a coward too. Can't fight his own battles," Jack taunted.

Looking out through the glass, Rose spied the manservant heading towards the diner. She placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, knowing that if he didn't let go, there would be trouble. "It's okay, Jack. Let him go. He's not worth the trouble."

"I just want him to keep his hands to himself," Jack dropped Cal's wrist and stepped back to stand next to his wife.

Angry and indignant, Cal straightened his jacket and glared one last time at both Jack and Rose. He couldn't believe that he had lost and to a gutter rat at that! He didn't care that this boy was a soldier or not! He was a gutter rat in his eyes and Rose was a whore that he was happy to not marry after all! She was going to regret this decision when the boy met his end in Vietnam. He was sure of it! "I hope that you enjoy your time together!"

"I am sure we will. Goodbye Mr. Hockley," Rose glared at Cal as well, happy to finally be free of him. She was pretty sure that this time he got the message. It was over. He would not be getting her back.

Rose watched Cal leave with a happy heart. Finally, she was free of him. She was even more elated to see him grab Lovejoy, get into his expensive car and drive away, never to be seen by her again!

"Well, I hope that you are happy, Rose You have completely ruined everything! You have completely destroyed our lives! You've got what you have always wanted!" Ruth approached her daughter, not even bothering to hide her anger. All of her hard work had just been flushed down the drain! She couldn't believe how selfish her daughter was being right now! They had almost been saved! What on earth could this boy offer her daughter that was worth the life that they no longer had?! "We are ruined thanks to you! What am I going to do now?!"

"Become a seamstress mother. Some hard work would be good for you," was all Rose had to say. There was nothing else that she wanted to say to her mother. It was sad, really. Once upon a time, there had been nothing more that Rose had wanted than her mother's happiness. She had almost let it ruin her own life. But now, thanks to her love for Jack, she was able to break free from what had been a toxic relationship and finally live the life she wanted for herself. Her mother's happiness was not her responsibility. It never had been.

"You are such a selfish girl! You will rue the day, Rose! And I will not help you! From here on out, you are cut off! You will not receive one penny from me and you are not welcomed at the house! I never want to see you again!"

"Ruth," Molly tried to interrupt, but Rose stopped her.

"No, Molly. It's okay. I'm fine, she was never much of a mother to me anyway. I can't miss what I never had. And sorry mother, or Ruth. I'll call you Ruth for now on because you were never my mother. Mothers are warm and nice and comforting and want the best for their children. You were always cold, hard, selfish, and only thought of yourself. So sorry, Ruth. I will not rue this day and you have nothing I want. I agree, I never want to see you again either. I consider this good riddance."

Ruth pulled her purse onto her shoulder and glared at Rose one last time. "It's a .shame Rose. It really is. You could have had the world, but now all you have is this boy and once he dies, you'll have nothing. Absolutely nothing and it'll be your own fault."

"Jack is all I need and even if he should, heaven forbid, die, I'll still have more than I ever had being your daughter. I'll still have my freedom and my dreams. I had neither of those before Jack, but I sure will have them even after he's gone, if he ever is. Goodbye Ruth," Rose stepped closer to Jack, feeling that she needed more of his strength, sense just the very thought of him dying almost drained her of the strength she did have.

"It's time for you to go, Ruth. I want you to leave my restaurant. If you come back, I'll have you arrested," Molly crossed her arms, having enough. This should have been a happy day for Rose, one free of stress, but thanks to Ruth, a stress-free day was impossible.

"Very well. I despise this dirty little dive anyway," Ruth huffed, heading for the exit.

Rose felt herself relax at the chime of the bell hanging above the entrance. "Well, that is that. I am finally free from both of them. It's a shame that it had to be right after our wedding."

"But at least it's over," Jack kissed her head and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Yes, it's over and now I'm famished," Rose laughed, kissing his cheek and looking for a place to sit. "It's time to sit down to our wedding brunch!"

"Oh darling, don't worry about a thing. You two pick something out and I'll make you a basket to take up to...well I guess it's your apartment now. I assume that you two will be sharing it now that you're good and married," Molly grinned, now over the shock of Rose's announcement. She was still worried about the girl, but it was good to see her so happy."

"Of course. Thank you, Molly. We really appreciate all that you're doing for us," Rose smiled, happy to have her new life as Rose Dawson begin.

"Oh, it's the least I can do for my favorite employee. Now, you two sit down and relax. I'll have your basket together in a jiffy so you two can celebrate in peace," Molly winked before disappearing into the kitchen.

"What a day this has been," Jack chuckled. When he had left the base, he had no clue that he would be ending up with a wife. It was a fact that he didn't regret and looking into Rose's eyes, he knew that she didn't regret it either.

"It's a new beginning Jack. It's the start of the rest of our lives."