Hi all! So this idea popped into my head recently I wanted to play around with. I never really explored Jack's character in my many years of fanfic writing because I never really had anything pop in my head, but this concept passed my brain. I'm not 100% sure of where I'll go with it, so I'll just see where the writing takes me! I hope you all enjoy!
Also, as a disclosure, I own no characters except for Kate. Any real life individuals brought up are fictionalized versions, especially Harold Lowe who will be coming up in this story. I may not be 100% historically accurate with everything, and I'll be changing things up. Just wanted to enforce that whatever is written here is not a representation of real life, as I'm sure you all know!
Anyway, thank you for reading, and please enjoy!
Chapter 1
"Alright, moment of truth. Somebody's life is about to change."
Holding her breath, Kate Dawson couldn't keep her eyes on her brother, Jack, any longer. Out of all the things he could've gotten them into, betting the very last of what they had to their name was not something she had in mind.
The two of them and their good friend, Fabrizio, stumbled into the smoky Southampton pub for a quick drink and a bite to eat. Titanic was about to set sail, and the sight of her from the window was astounding. The three of them were hoping to get a good view of her taking off on her first voyage. Kate had been on a few boats in her life, mostly tramp steamers her and her brother snuck onto, and none of them could compare. She towered over buildings off the pier, and was nothing but majestic. It took Kate's breath away.
Jack eyed two Swedes, Olaf and Sven, playing some poker and wanted to join in shortly after indulging in his first beer. He was always a fan of card games. It was a casual game at first, lighthearted even. But to keep the game interesting, the stakes grew. First it was just a few pennies. Then it grew into a handful of quarters. Dollars. A pocket watch. A pocket knife. Money was lost, mostly by the Swedes, and gained. The lightheartedness dissipated to some very serious hands. There were a few spectators watching them, Kate and Sven's wife included.
Then the Swedes bet three third class tickets to Titanic, all an attempt to win their money back. Sven had thrown them down, a heated argument between his wife and Olaf had then ensued. Kate couldn't understand a word they were saying, but she knew they were not happy in the slightest. That's when Jack bet every last dollar they had. Fabrizio was all in, throwing in everything he had as well. America had always been his dream.
For Kate and Jack, America was home. It had been close to five years since they laid their eyes on it.
"Are you sure you want to do this? You're betting everything we have, we'll have nothing if we lose," Kate had said to her brother before playing the final hand.
"Kate, when you got nothing, you got nothing to lose," was all he said. She knew at that moment she couldn't talk him out of it.
She closed her eyes as she waited for the final round to play out.
It was all or nothing.
Jack's blue eyes glanced towards Fabrizio, whipping his head a bit to get a few blonde strands of hair out of his face. The Italian displayed his cards slowly, "Niente," Jack let out, analyzing at them.
"Niente," Fabrizio reinstated with an almost annoyed look on his face.
"Olaf?" Jack turned his attention to the Swede as he turned his cards, "Nothing," he announced, "Sven?"
Looking confident, he exposed his hand.
A hesitation.
Kate fluttered her eyes open.
"Oh. A two pair," Jack sighed. "I'm sorry, Fabrizio."
"God damnit, Jack," Kate groaned, running her hand through her blonde curls. Sven's chubby, strawberry blonde haired wife began to crack a smile from ear to ear.
"Che sorry? Va fanculo! You bet all our money!" Fabrizio began to go off angrily in more Italian until Jack interrupted him.
"I'm sorry! You're not going to see your mom again for a long time."
Fabrizio grew silent, exchanging a confused look with Kate.
"Cause we're going to America!" Jack slammed his cards on the table, "Full house boys!"
Now everyone in the pub had their eyes on them.
Kate went from gasping in disbelief into shrieks of joy as Fabrizio grabbed the tickets in his hands, nearly jumping up and down as he kissed those precious pieces of paper. In his excitement, he grabbed Kate and planted a firm kiss on her lips, causing her to burst into pure laughter.
As Jack raked in the winnings, Olaf balled his large hand into a fist, grabbing Jack by the collar. As he muttered in Swedish, Jack held his breath, bracing himself for impact. Lucky for him, Olaf turned and threw his fist into Sven's face instead, knocking him down. Sven's wife had succumbed to tears. Jack couldn't help but let out a laugh as Olaf continued to yell at Sven on the ground, shaking him by the collar.
He only felt a little guilty.
With that, he turned to his sister, bringing her in for a long, tight embrace.
"We're going home!" He let out in almost complete disbelief.
Jack had loved seeing the world since the two of them had been on their own the past five years. It felt so long ago now. He had only been 15 then, Kate was 18. The two of them only had each other and at that time, home was the last place they wanted to be. It was too painful.
So they went off and lived as vagabonds, not knowing where the wind was going to take them, finding odd jobs along the way. Jack indulged in art, exploring the museums of Paris, the cathedrals and sculptures of Florence. It had opened his eyes. Seeing the work of Monet had changed his life, no offense to Picasso and his cubism. It just didn't do it for him. Monet and even Van Gogh called to him. His talent grew, and he sold portraits for a dime a piece. People enjoyed his work, and he had a gift of truly seeing them. Jack loved meeting people from city to city, even those that weren't the most welcoming. He had a way of breaking through even the most hardened individuals.
Kate, sharing her brother's creative spirit, found art in another way- food. She was overtaken by it throughout the cities they explored. She had worked long hours, both at the back of the house as a dishwasher, and later on as a server, at multiple cafes and restaurants throughout Barcelona, Paris, Rome, just enough to save up to travel to the next destination on their list. In each city, she watched and learned. The restaurant industry was growing, and she was witnessing it before her very eyes. It wasn't just in the restaurants where she learned either. The food of the streets, patisseries, and smoky cafes had opened her tastebuds to new and exciting flavors.
Nothing could compare to the meals Fabrizio's mother had cooked for her family though. That is where Kate found true inspiration. Food was a way of showing love in the De Rossi family. She longed to bring the taste of other countries her and Jack had explored to home, giving others the opportunity to taste the world, bringing the same kind of connection she felt at the De Rossi table. Her and Jack were outsiders but at the dinner table, they were family. Fabrizio was like a brother to them now. He had joined them on so many of their adventures.
There was practically no such thing as a woman running her own cafe or restaurant, at least in America. You could find them, but it was rare. But in Europe, women served the public proudly. It was what Kate craved more than anything else.
Jack and Kate had seen the world. Now, it was time to return home.
"I can't believe it!" There were tears in her hazel eyes, "It's been so long."
"I know," Jack placed his hands on her shoulders, "I'd say it's about time we head back."
The fellow blonde nodded her head in agreement.
"I go to America!" Fabrizio continued to cheer for himself.
"No mates!" A stout pub keeper sporting a thick mustache and bowlers cap spoke up behind the bar, "Titanic go to America, in five minutes!"
"Shit! C'mon, c'mon!" Jack scrambled to gather the rest of the winnings off the table and into his large kit bag which carried everything he had to his name, grabbing the tickets from Fabrizio. With a wave to the pub keeper, the trio burst out the door.
"It's been grand!" Kate called back to him with a laugh as she gathered her bags and sprinted behind her brother and Fabrizio.
The pier was alive, crowds milled all about. With adrenaline pumping, the three tore their way through the lingering groups of people, some of high class and others like them, who shouted back at them as they brushed past. They dodged through vast piles of luggage on the street as if it was an Olympic sport.
They had no time to lose. It was now or never.
"We're ridin' in high style now! A couple of regular swells! Practically goddamn royalty ragazzo mio!" Jack called to his friend.
"You see? Is my destino! Like I told you, I go to l'America!"
"That American dream is waitin' for you now, Fabri!" Kate yelled to him.
Not paying attention, the trio nearly collided with two horses drawn to a carriage.
"Woah woah!" Jack slowed down, causing Fabrizio and Kate to slow down with him.
"Bastardo!" Fabrizio barked at the carriage rider who rolled his eyes.
"Whoo hoo!" Jack could barely contain his exhilaration as he picked his speed back up, weaving in and out of crowds once again.
"You're pazzo!" Fabrizio yelled to him.
"Maybe but I got tickets!"
"C'mon I thought you were fast!" Kate taunted Fabrizio as she ran past him, almost catching up with her brother.
It was then when they finally approached the ramp to the third class gangway aft.
Kate couldn't help but stop in her tracks to take in the size of the ship she was about to enter. She was intimidated as it loomed over her. It was stories high, comparable to some of the tallest buildings she had set her eyes on. It was absolutely monstrous.
"Wait, wait! We're passengers!" Jack grabbed Kate's hand, forcing her out of her trance as they darted across the ramp to the officer who was seconds away from closing the door to the third class entrance. Jack whipped the tickets from his pocket
"Have you been through the inspection queue?" The officer asked with a slight annoyance.
"Of course! Anyway, we don't have any lice, we're Americans," Jack replied cheerfully, "All of us."
"Right, come aboard," the officer was in no mood to fight it. They had tickets after all.
With that, the three of them hopped aboard to their destiny, flying down the halls of E deck to search for their rooms. With the biggest smile on his face, Jack turned to his sister and best friend.
"We're the luckiest sons of bitches in the world, you know that?"
A little bit on the shorter side, but this was more meant to be an introduction. Drop your thoughts if you'd like, I always want to know what you think! Always love messages in my inbox as well. Thank you guys for reading! I may not be quick at updates, but I certainly have ideas for this one!
