Chapter 3

"My mother was always just as she was on Titanic," Rose explained. She was leaning against Jack's chest, staring out the window. He stroked her arm lazily, listening to her as she spoke. "She married my father because of his money; their parents arranged the union. He wanted her because of her beauty, and because she never acted like the other girls who were obsessed with him. And she wanted him because of his money."

Jack nodded, understanding. It wasn't unusual for marriages of that kind, especially in the high society world. He hated to think that the same thing could happen to his sister: she could be married to a Cal Hockley one day. The thought made him sick. Fighting that thought, Jack focused on Rose. "Was your father kind to you?" He asked.

Rose shrugged. "He wasn't unkind," she answered. "We never spent time together. He worked, and I went to finishing school or was watched by whoever my parents had hired. He did know about all of my 'trouble', but he knew that my mother was more than able to yell at me about those things, so he never bothered." She looked up at him and found his eyes glued to her, both with concern and love. She could always tell what emotions were held behind those ocean blue eyes. "And then he died, when I was sixteen. And I found out that he had been losing money, that he had horrible debts, and that it was somehow my responsibility to fix all of it. That's how I ended up engaged to Cal. He's older, he was desperate for a wife and an heir, and I was desperate for money. Or, rather, my mother was."

"That's why you were engaged to Cal?" Jack asked, and Rose nodded. "I had heard of him before, just in passing. But never good things. When I found out you were engaged to him, I swear, I could've killed him with my bare hands. But then I'd be just like him: acting out of jealousy."

Rose shook her head. "You could never be like him, Jack," she told him. "And if you did kill him, it would be because you don't want me with someone like him. Not because you wanted me for yourself."

Jack nodded. "You're right." He touched her cheek, lifting her face to his and planting a kiss on her lips. "You know, I had seen you before. Before we met on Titanic." Rose looked up at him, the shock clear in her eyes. "My parents have friends who live in Philadelphia, and they were having a party. I was going through a bit of a hard time, feeling really trapped in my life and what had been chosen for me, and my parents decided that maybe taking a trip would make me feel better: new people, away from home, away from responsibility.

"And I went to this party, dragging my feet the whole time, telling my parents that I was fine." Rose took his hand, wishing he had never felt that way. She felt the same way before, so she knew how awful it was. "I stood against the wall, having a drink, counting the minutes until I could go home. And then, I saw this woman." Rose smiled, knowing he was talking about her. "She was… absolutely beautiful. Everything about her was beautiful. But the look in her eyes reminded me of my own: the fear of being trapped, the desperation of not having a way out, all of it.

"And then I saw Cal walk over to you," Jack's jaw clenched ever so slightly. "And I already knew who he was. I knew he was bad. And I saw him wrap his arm around you, and I saw you fake a smile that didn't quite reach your eyes." Jack looked down at her and found her staring up at her sadly. "I wanted to kill him. I wanted to pull you away and tell you that I could help you. But I knew that doing that wouldn't save you, it would just make you feel more trapped. You would only feel more trapped, you would doubt everyone around you, and everything would be worse. So… I had to just watch. And I think I thought about you everyday after that.

"When I saw you on Titanic, standing at the deck, you had the same look again, but without the fake smile," Jack continued. "I didn't know if it was because you had given up on trying to hide your feelings, or if it was because you couldn't anymore. But I knew that I was going to help you somehow, and that I had to figure out how. But that was why I was staring at you that day. I just couldn't look away."

"So when you saw me at the stern of the ship…" Rose began, piecing all of it together. "You knew how bad it was. If I was willing to kill myself instead of marry Cal, you knew."

Jack nodded. "I knew all along that you didn't love Cal. But I didn't want to swoop in and save you if there was a chance you would save yourself," his eyes were sadder than Rose had ever seen, and she wished she could make it go away. "But seeing you hanging off the back of the ship… I knew if I didn't help you somehow, you could die."

Rose stared at Jack, and she knew he was picturing her hanging there, tears running down her cheeks. "Jack, look at me," she said quietly, and Jack looked at her. She placed her hands on his cheeks, keeping his eyes on hers. "I'm okay. I'm happy, I'm safe, and I'm free. You did that. You saved me."

It was the firmness in Rose's eyes that showed Jack that Rose meant it. "I planned on seeking you out the next day, the day you found me in steerage. Talking to you, I realized that I had been seeing you as a victim, when I should have been seeing you as a person who was in a terrible position. You were more than just a victim, you had a personality, you had dreams and feelings and… so much more. And seeing you go from that back to the high society world, it hurt. It still hurts, even now. And once we danced together below decks, once I saw you, all of you, I knew I had to save you, and I knew… I knew I was in love with you." Rose smiled. "I still wasn't going to tell you that. I didn't want you to think that the only reason I was saving you was because I wanted you for myself. If you wanted to escape from Cal but didn't want to be with me, I still would have helped you."

Rose nodded. "I know."

"But… that's the story," Jack shrugged. "That's everything."

Rose leaned forward, pulling Jack close enough to kiss him lovingly. "I love you," she whispered. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but it must have been something really, really good."

Jack smiled back. "You saved me too, you know," he told her, and Rose looked up at him. "Seeing your face that first time… I couldn't stop thinking about you. I filled an entire portfolio with drawings of you, and seeing you so broken with no way out got me to fight for my own freedom. You gave me that, Rose."

Rose leaned closer, pulling Jack's face down to hers, crashing her mouth into his. His arms wrapped around her, holding her close, and Rose's hands tangled into his hair. They stayed that way for several moments, the kiss reflecting their feelings for each other.

They separated, both dazed by the kiss. "There are no words to describe how much I love you," Jack touched Rose's cheek, tucking a curl behind her ear. "And no matter what happens, no matter what we face, we will always be together, and my love for you will only grow."

xXx

Stepping off the train hand in hand, Jack and Rose took a deep breath of fresh air. The train wasn't so long, and while they were talking, it felt like it was going quick, but once Rose felt sicker again, time stood still. By the time they pulled into Boston, Rose was feeling better, and Jack had begun telling her embarrassing stories to make her feel better.

"Which way are we going?" Rose asked, taking Jack's hand. She had Jack's coat wrapped around her, and while she tried to get Jack to wear the coat, he insisted that Rose needed something warmer. She knew that taking the coat would give Jack some peace of mind, so she did, and the smile he gave her was worth it.

Jack looked around, fixing their bag on his shoulder. "Copley Plaza Hotel is only a few blocks from here, so we can walk. And then we can get some food and rest before going to see my parents tomorrow."

Rose smiled. "That sounds perfect," she looked around at Boston, realizing that it was quite similar to Philadelphia. It was a smaller city, but still held character, and she knew she would love it even better here since it was where Jack was. "Lead the way."

They walked into the hotel, the warmth of the lobby enveloping them immediately. Jack held Rose's hand, sensing a bit of her apprehension of being back in a high society environment, leading her to the front desk. "Hello," he smiled, and the woman working at the desk looked up. "My wife and I would like a room for tonight."

The woman smiled at Jack as he spoke, but looked at Rose and glared at her. Jack released her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. The woman was thrown, but looked down at her reservation book. "Yes, we have a room available. Room 250. It's right up those stairs."

"Thanks," Jack said, somewhat coldly, guiding Rose toward the stairs. He looked down at her, laughing ever so slightly. They walked down the hall, and Jack opened the hotel room door. "Did you see that? How that woman looked at me? And you?"

Rose laughed too, taking off her coat and putting it on the chair. "Yes, I did!" She continued laughing, walking over to Jack and wrapping her arms around his neck. "But you know what? You had to compete with Cal for my affections, so it's only fair that now I have to compete for yours."

Jack stopped laughing, placing a hand against his cheek. "You'll never have to compete for my affections," he told her, his eyes sincere. "I'll always be yours, Rose, and I don't want it any other way."

Rose looked down, avoiding his gaze. "Jack," she whispered, not knowing what else to say.

Jack placed his finger under her chin, lifting it so she would look at him. He leaned forward, touching his lips to hers, pulling her into a passionate kiss. His hands pulled at her waist, hers tightened on his collarbone, pulling herself up to reach him.

After only a moment, Rose pulled away, unbuttoning the top few buttons on Jack's shirt before giving up and lifting it over his head. His warm, chiseled chest was against hers as he pulled her against him, taking her mouth in his once again. He had never felt this way about anyone before. Rose fit perfectly in Jack's arms, she understood him the way no one else did, and she loved him with her whole heart.

Rose turned around, pulling her hair over her shoulder. Jack kissed her neck again, unbuttoning the back of her dress. He slid it off her shoulders, though he hesitated, just in case Rose wasn't ready. Rose only turned around, looking into Jack's eyes, pulling her dress down her arms, past her waist, and letting it fall on the floor. She smiled, stepping out of it and stepping closer to Jack, placing a hand against his cheek. "Put your hands on me, Jack."

Jack pulled her back to him, kissing her again, his arms tight around her. Rose moaned into his mouth, reaching down Jack's torso for his brace, unbuckling it and unbuttoning his pants. She only got as far as the top of his briefs when Jack grabbed her hand, pulling it to his chest. "There's no rush this time," he whispered. "We have forever now, so let's take our time and enjoy it."

Rose smiled, her arms settling on his collarbone once again and her lips sinking into his. His hands tugged at her brassiere, trying to unclasp it, and it fell to the floor. He pulled away, smiling at her, his finger running down her side, causing her to shiver. "You're beautiful," he said quietly, and Rose smiled.

"Keep saying things like that, and I'll have an ego the size of this whole room." Rose played with his hair, her fingers toying with one of the strands.

Jack shook his head. "I'll never stop telling you the truth, and what you deserve to have heard your whole life." He stared at her, seeing the tears appear in her eyes. He kissed each tear away, and Rose pulled Jack back to her.

With their arms still around each other, Jack and Rose moved toward the bed, until Rose felt it behind her knees. She tried to collapse onto the bed, but Jack's arms were still wrapped tightly around her, so they both fell onto the mattress, a mess of limbs and laughter.

Rose smiled, pulling Jack down to her, kissing him again. For the last two weeks since Titanic, they couldn't really act on their feelings, between Carpathia, the one night in the hotel when Rose was still sick, and the hospital. Now, they had all of the time they always wanted, and now that they had that, Rose couldn't keep her hands off of him.

"I need you, Jack," she whispered, staring up at him and placing a hand on her cheek. "Please."

Jack reached down between their bodies , feeling for Rose's panties. "Can I?" She gave a quick nod, and Jack pulled it down and off of her. He reached for his own, pulling it off of him. He entered her slowly, and Rose gasped, holding onto him to ground herself. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to sit there and draw you, and not touch you?" Jack's voice was thick with desire, staring down at the love of his life, watching her pleasure in response to him. "And in the Renault, I had no time to do what I wanted to do with you. But now…" Jack touched Rose's cheek and let out a raspy chuckle. "Rose darling, we have all the time in the world. And I will never stop trying to make you feel exactly how you make me feel."

xXx

Jack and Rose were tangled in each other's arms, about to fall asleep. The last few weeks had been a mess of heartbreak, trauma, and sickness. But now, they had only each other, and nothing else was as important as being together.

"I never thought it could be like this," Rose said quietly, tracing the contours of his bicep. His arms were wrapped around her, playing with her curls. "I never thought love really existed. I never thought I'd have it. I thought if I was lucky, I'd marry someone who I didn't hate, who would leave me alone. But I never thought I'd get lucky enough to have you." She looked up at him, touching his cheek, then running her thumb over his bottom lip. "And when I learned about… you know." Rose blushed; it was unladylike to discuss such matters, especially with a man.

"It's okay," Jack smiled kindly. He stroked her arm lovingly. "You can talk to me about anything. Besides, after everything we just did, you can mention sex."

Rose smiled. "I just thought it was something I had to do because it was what my husband would want. Or something that I wanted because it would lead to children. I never thought it was something I would enjoy. Something I would… want." She looked up at him. "You gave me that."

"You gave me that too," Jack told her. "I never thought I would fall in love with someone. I never thought I'd feel this way before. I thought I'd go to Europe, experience whatever I could, and then marry someone my parents picked for me. But then I met you." Jack smiled at her. "You're everything I didn't even know I could want."

"I feel the same way." Rose put her head on Jack's chest. "I didn't even know it was possible to feel completely comfortable with someone. To reveal every part of yourself, to be as vulnerable as we have been with each other. And I certainly didn't think if I did reveal every part of myself, that I wouldn't scare them away."

Jack sighed, holding Rose closer. "How could anyone be scared away by you?" He asked. "You're beautiful, kind, smart, wonderful, compassionate, brave, and so much more." He could have sworn he felt Rose smile against him. "When you asked me to draw you, and I got to see you for the first time, without the corset or the crazy dresses, I knew it was the most vulnerable you had ever been before, but you did it. You trusted me."

"Of course I did," Rose answered. "You're different from anyone else I've ever known. You're wonderful." She looked up at him. "And you're just so good looking. How could I resist?"

Jack chuckled. "You're beautiful," he told her. "Seeing you in that purple dress, knowing you weren't wearing a corset?" Jack continued, with a little chuckle. "That I was only a layer away from you? From your body?" Jack chuckled again, and Rose felt herself blush. "In my wildest dreams, I never imagined you being as beautiful as you are. I don't think my mind or my art could even capture all of your beauty. There's no way my mind could create something so perfect."

Rose smiled. "It's just my body," she answered. "It's not that special. Yours on the other hand." Rose touched Jack's stomach, feeling the muscles there.

Jack quickly grabbed her hand off of his chest. "Stop it." Rose lifted her head off Jack's chest to look at him. His eyes were stern and solemn. "There's nothing 'just' about you. Not even a little bit. You're incredible, Rose, and you deserve to feel that way." Rose looked down, her eyes filled with tears. Jack noticed, and his voice softened. "I hate everyone that made you feel like you are any less than what you are. I hate that you feel like you can't take a compliment. I hate that you have no idea how special you are." Tears began running down Rose's cheeks, and Jack wiped them away. "I'll spend the rest of my life trying to change that. Because you deserve to know how beautiful you are, inside and out. You deserve to know how special you are. And you deserve to hear someone tell you that you're beautiful and not think that they're lying."

Rose opened her mouth to answer, but no words came out. She just nodded, tears continuing to stream down her cheeks. Jack wiped them away, then kissed her lovingly. "I'm sorry I yelled. I just got frustrated." He held her close, kissing the top of her head. "I love you, Rose."

Rose looked up at Jack. "I know you do, and I love you too," she propped her head up on his chest. "You yelled because you love me. That's different than yelling because you're angry at me or because you hate me." She could see the guilt in Jack's eyes. "I love you so much, Jack. I always will."

Jack kissed her, then guided her head to his chest. "I love you too," he whispered. "Close your eyes, let's get some sleep." He held her close, and they both drifted off.