Chapter Two

New York, New York

When the Carpathia arrived in New York it was raining. It was a very cold rain that sunk into Rose's skin and sent shivers up her spine. The only thing she could think of was all those people who died in the sinking, freezing to death without the hope of rescue.

"Can I take your names please?" A steward asked them as the stepped off of the ship.

"Jack and Rose Dawson," Rose answered before Jack could say anything.

"Thank you," the steward said walking off to the others disembarking.

"You were serious, weren't you?" Jack asked as they walked around trying to find a hotel.

"About what?" Rose said, happy to be back on solid ground.

"About getting off with me and everything?"

"Of course, I love you Jack and nothing will ever change that." Rose said gazing up into his blue-green eyes.

"You know, now that we're in New York I just remembered something that my father said to me along time ago." Jack said.

"And what was that?"

"He said that if I ever made it to New York to look up my Uncle Stefan."

"What does this Uncle Stefan do?"

"My father said that he owned his own business or something." Jack said.

"Well let's find him then." Rose said beginning to walk down a new street.

"What? Now? In a new city that neither of us knows very well?"

"Why not? We're on our own now, we can do whatever we want." Rose said as she began to dance around in the puddles.

"Not everything," Jack said thinking about their limited funds.

"What? Are you talking about money?" Rose asked.

"Yes, I only have ten bucks and I don't think that will put us up in a hotel for a few nights."

"Well then, we'll just have to begin our search for you uncle Stefan, now won't we?"

"Where do we start?" Jack asked sounding a bit happier now that he knew Rose wasn't upset about not having a lot of money anymore.

"Well, why don't we go into some bars or something and ask around." Rose suggested.

"Go into some what?" Jack asked sounding surprised.

"Bars, taverns, you know places where they sell liquor?" Rose asked.

"I know what bars are but I didn't know you would actually go into one." Jack said.

"What? You think a first class girl can't go into a bar?" Rose asked playfully.

"Alright, if that's what you want."

"It's what I want, plus those are basically the only things open at this hour." Rose said walking along until they found a tavern, the sign outside said 5th Street Tavern. As Jack walked in followed by Rose, heads turned toward them.

"Um, hello," Jack said trying to be friendly. "My lady friend and I were just wondering if any of you happened to know a Stefan Dawson?"

"Yeah, I know 'im." A man towards the back said standing up.

"That's good, do you know where we might find him?"

"Yeah, he lives in apartment number 524 in that big building just down the street." The man said.

"Thank you sir, we'll just be on our way now." Jack said turning to head out the door.

"You're welcome," the man said sitting back down on his bar stool.

"Well, that was easy." Rose said as they began to walk down the street towards a large building that loomed in the distance.

When they entered the well lit lobby Rose began to wonder if they were in the right place since it was so nicely furnished with very expensive things.

"Can I help you?" A snobby looking man said from behind a large desk in the center of the room.

"Yes, we were looking for a Mr. Stefan Dawson who we were told lives in apartment number 524 in this building." Jack said trying to sound sophisticated.

"And who may I ask are you?" The man asked.

"I'm his nephew, Jack."

"Well, Jack, I'm sorry but I can't let you up to see him."

"And why the hell not?" Jack asked.

"No need for language, it's just that you both are poorly dressed and are very muddy and I don't think Mr. Dawson would appreciate me sending visitors up at this hour."
"Well," Rose said coming from behind Jack, "what if I was to tell you that I'm Rose DeWitt-Bukater?"

"Well, then I could say you could have whatever you wanted." The man said obviously recognizing her name.

"Well, I am," Rose said.

"Really? Prove it," the man demanded.

"Well, I um can't."

"And may I ask why not?"

"Because you fool, I was on the Titanic and all of my things were lost in the sinking." Rose said getting annoyed.

"Well, may I put you up in a hotel for the night and you may come to visit Mr. Dawson at a decent hour tomorrow?" The man said realizing that it was Rose.

"You may," Rose said glad she got through to the man.

"Very well, there's a hotel right across the way. Just tell the man at the desk that I sent you over and that I'll pay him in the morning."

"Thank you," Rose said leading Jack out the door.

"Good job," Jack said as they walked into the hotel.

"Can I help you?" The man behind the desk asked.

"Yes, the man across the street sent us over here and he wanted you to put us up in a room and that he'll pay you in the morning." Rose said.

"Very well," the man said turning around to get them a set of keys. "Your room is on the third floor, go down the hall and to the right, room number 314, and if there's anything you need just call."

"Thank you," Jack said taking the keys.

When they reached their room they saw that it was the honeymoon suite.

"Wow! Look at this room!" Jack said when they entered.

"Yeah, nice isn't it?" Rose asked remembering that Jack wasn't used the finer things in life.

"Nice? This is beyond nice! It's beautiful, just like you, Rose." Jack said kissing her forehead.

"Well, I suppose we ought to get some rest so we don't look like we just crawled out of a sewer when we meet you uncle tomorrow." Rose suggested.

"Yeah you're right." Jack said yawning. "Tomorrow is going to be a big day."

"You're telling me," Rose said climbing into bed.

"I love you, Rose," Jack told her just before she fell fast asleep. Jack could only hope that she was seeing him in her dreams.