The sun poured into the reading room, casting a warm glow on Jack's portfolio. The house was quiet, a rarity given how many people lived and worked there, though Jack would often wake earlier than anyone else. He had never been a late riser, and he enjoyed working on his art in the quiet house while everyone else was sleeping.

Sitting in the same spot he would sit in as a child, Jack marveled at how much had changed since the last time he occupied his seat in the reading room. Before, he was just a boy, struggling through his adolescence and feeling trapped in his life, his destiny decided for him by generations of tradition.

Now, two years later, he was a man. He had gone out and traveled the world as he always wanted to, and he had realized what was really important. He had a fiance whom he loved with his entire heart, and who loved him. That alone was enough to keep him happy for the rest of his life, even if he would need to live in high society.

Turning to the next open page, Jack glanced at the older drawings in his portfolio. They had been from before he left, mostly just drawings of his parents and sister or the occasional person he saw while drawing in the park. But what caught his attention was the drawing of Rose.

She stood against the wall, her curls cascaded over her shoulder and down the front of her dress. She wore a dark colored dress, the color of which juxtaposed her vibrant hair and creamy complexion, making her even more striking than she already was. Her eyes had been dimmed, just as they had been on Titanic, but not since then. Seeing the absence of life in her eyes, even just in his sketch, pained him. Her lips were downturned ever so slightly, matching the sadness in her eyes, and were painted a mesmerizing shade of red. While the drawing didn't have any color, he remembered every detail of how she looked that night. She had a champagne flute in her hand that she raised to take a sip, and even as she did, her expression hadn't changed, as if the world had lost its flavor.

It killed him to think about Rose's life before Titanic, to think about how her mother and Cal had forced the life out of her. Now, the pieces were coming back, but he still worried about what a life in high society would do to her. He promised himself at that moment that if Rose ever wanted to leave, if she ever seemed trapped or depressed, he would take her out of there. He didn't care what it would cost him; Rose was all that mattered to him now.

He settled on a new page, taking out a sharpened piece of charcoal and letting his hand lead the way. Overthinking was the enemy of creation, in Jack's opinion, and it was for that reason that drawing had always been somewhat therapeutic to him, a way to shut off his brain for an hour and just be.

The drawing started to take shape, and as Jack blew away the charcoal flakes, he saw what was possibly his new favorite portrait of Rose: she was sleeping on her back and her hands were holding onto the sheet. His favorite part, however, was her face: her eyebrows were unfurrowed, her mouth was curved upward, and her eyes were shut gently. It had been a while since she looked that relaxed, and Jack was glad that despite everything they had been through and the nightmares that still haunted them, there were a few moments of pure, unadulterated bliss.

"I'm fairly certain sharing a room with a woman before you're married is improper," a voice said from behind Jack's shoulder, causing him to nearly jump out of his seat. He turned to find his sister standing behind him, looking at his drawing. "I wonder what Mother and Father would do if I told them," she smirked.

Jack rolled his eyes dramatically. He knew Betty would never tattle on him, since they both kept a number of secrets for each other. They always had an agreement that anything they told each other would be kept in confidence. "All that would happen is the wedding would be pushed up, which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world." He went back to drawing, putting the finishing touches and signing his initials.

Betty sat next to Jack, a cup of tea in her hand. "So," she began, taking a sip. "We haven't really had a chance to talk just the two of us since you returned." Jack put down his portfolio and looked up at his sister. "When were you planning on telling me you're marrying Rose Dewitt Bukater of Philadelphia society?"

Jack's heart sank. "How did you know?"

"I knew who she was when I was at finishing school, but we never really knew each other," Betty explained, and Jack looked down, avoiding his sister's gaze. "I didn't tell Ma and Pa, if that's what you're worried about, though I don't exactly know why you would be. If anything, Pa would be more understanding."

"Rose left that life," Jack explained. "It's not something that I can tell you about. It's Rose's story, not mine. And I don't think she wants to rehash the details anytime soon. But she left that life before she knew who I was, and she was ready to give up that life for me."

Betty listened while Jack explained, though his answer provided no information or detail as to how they met or how they ended up back in Boston together. "Jack, you have to tell Ma and Pa."

"I will eventually, when Rose is ready," he told her, his voice still calm. "I'm not going to rush her to talk about it when she's not ready, especially after everything she's been through…" Jack trailed off before he could reveal too much. The last thing he wanted was to blurt out that they had survived the sinking of Titanic or that Rose had faked her own death.

"You don't have to rush her to talk about anything, but if you don't tell them anything, they'll find out on their own," Betty countered. "The Dewitt Bukaters are a well-known family. Ma and Pa might not know who Rose is, but someone else might, and if the news comes from anyone but you or Rose, they'll feel betrayed, and they'll be even more worried about the impending marriage."

Realizing his sister was right, Jack leaned forward, rubbing his face with his hands. While he and Rose were happy together, they hadn't faced a lot of the issues that lay ahead. What if Ruth found her and tried to drag her back? What if Cal showed up? What if Jack's parents found out the truth about Rose and forbade him to marry her? While nothing could stop their love, the last thing either of them needed was more drama and difficulty.

It scared him that if something happened, he could lose Rose. If Ruth found Rose, she could take her away, since she was her mother. If Cal showed up, he could take her away, since she was his fiancé. After everything they had been through, something could still come between them, and that possibility scared Jack to his core.

He needed to marry her. That was the only way to ensure that they were together forever. They were already in love, and had they been out in the real world, a marriage license could have been necessary long before this point. Luckily for them, everyone they had encountered had just accepted their word when they said they were husband and wife. But sooner or later, that luck could run out, and they would have to be ready.

"I'll tell them, Betty, I promise," Jack answered, though he still had to figure out how to do so. "For now, can you please keep it to yourself?"

Betty nodded. "Of course," she smiled, hugging Jack tightly. "Your secret's safe with me." They separated, and Jack stood. He needed to take a walk, to clear his head, and to decide what he would do next. "For whatever it's worth, Jack," Betty began, and Jack turned to face her. "I like Rose. I think she's perfect for you." Jack smiled at her, glad that his sister and best friend could see how happy they were together. "I never could picture you marrying anyone Ma and Pa set you up with; you always needed someone with more personality. Someone like Rose."

Jack smiled. "You're right."

xXx

It was a few hours later. Jack sat on the terrace of his bedroom, looking out at the view below and thinking about everything that was troubling him. He had taken a walk, but he chose to come back quickly in case Rose woke up. After all, it was late morning already, and she would be waking up any moment.

He didn't know what to do to ensure his and Rose's safety together. He knew, if Titanic was any indication, there was no way to ensure nothing ever happened, but he wanted to do everything in his power to make sure whatever they faced, they faced together, and that nothing could separate them. The only thing he could think of is marriage.

But was marrying Rose just because of safety the right thing to do? It wasn't really just for the security, Jack realized. He loved Rose with his whole heart. He would die just so she didn't feel one ounce of sadness. When she was in pain, he was in pain. And just the thought of her being taken from him made him feel sick. He knew that no matter what came next, he wanted to face it together, as a couple.

Digging into his pocket, Jack took out a small velvet box. His mother had given it to him with her engagement ring in it. She knew that the conversation Jack had with his father had stamped out some of his excitement, and she wanted to do something to tell him to keep his hope.

"I know you love her," his mother told him. "And I know that whether your father gives his approval or not, you'll marry her. But you're my only son, and I want to be at your wedding. So if it's between telling your father off or siding with him and missing your wedding, I'll choose the former." She handed him the box, and Jack looked up at her in shock. "But give it some time, Jack. He'll come around."

Jumping out of his chair, Jack went right inside and back down to the library, where his parents often sat in the mornings to drink their tea and read the paper. He didn't know what they were doing or if he would be interrupting them, but he decided that whatever they were doing, this was more important. "I can't wait," Jack blurted, and his parents each looked up from their papers. "I can't wait to marry her. I don't want to."

"Jack-" His father began, but Jack cut him off.

"It's not because we're infatuated with each other or because we'll fall out of love if we don't," Jack said before his father could. "It's because I love her so incredibly much that I don't ever want to let her go. I want to look over at her and know that she's mine, that she's my wife and that she will be for the rest of my life. I don't want to say goodbye each night and go to our respective rooms; I want to hold her in my arms and know that I don't ever have to let her go. I want to know that no matter what happens next, no matter what life throws at us, we'll face it together." Jack took a breath. "I'm in love with her, Pa. I don't want to wait."

Jack's father looked impressed, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "Okay," he answered finally, and Jack's eyes widened in awe, not knowing if he had heard his father correctly.

"What?" Jack asked.

William smiled and looked over at his wife. "That's how I felt about your mother," he reached out and took her hand. "I wanted to make sure you weren't just doing this because she's pretty or because she fits into some idea you have of what your life is. I wanted you to fight for her, to want her to be yours forever and know that she's the only person for you."

"You never wanted to test Rose," Jack realized, piecing everything together. "You wanted to test me."

William nodded. "There's no way for us to be absolutely positive that she's right for you," he explained. "The only people who can know that are you and Rose. And if you are still dying to marry her after hearing everything I had to say, I know you're right for each other."

"How?" Jack asked.

Anna piped in. "You're the least impulsive person I know, Jack," she chuckled. "You stood at the art store staring at the portfolios, comparing all of the benefits of each one for two hours before buying one." Jack smiled and nodded. "If you know that a person is right for you for the rest of your life, farbeit for either of us to question or doubt your judgment."

Jack smiled. "I'm going to go talk to Rose," he said excitedly, hugging his parents before running upstairs. He quietly opened the door to find Rose sitting at the vanity, all dressed and applying her makeup. She looked up at him and smiled, and Jack walked over to her, wrapping her arms around her neck and kissing her cheek. "We're getting married," he whispered in her ear.

Rose turned and stood up, looking at him. "What?" She asked. "What happened?"

Jack wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into him. "I told my parents I didn't want to wait," he explained. "You're the love of my life, you're my soulmate, and I've wanted to marry you since I first saw you." He saw a tear leave her eye, and he wiped it away with his thumb. "Rose Dawson…" he knelt down on one knee. "Will you officially become Rose Dawson? Will you marry me?"

"Yes, yes!" Rose answered, her eyes filled with tears. Jack stood, lifting her into his arms and holding her tight. He finally placed her down, sliding the ring onto her fourth finger and taking her lips in his. They separated, and Rose was grinning at him, then down at the ring. "I love you, Jack."

Jack held her waist, refusing to let her go. Nothing could stand in their way now. He wouldn't let it. No matter what, they would be together.