Chapter Thirty-Two

An hour has passed by, and Rose dried her fallen tears. She sat up and looked around the room one last time, before getting up and getting a valise out from under the bed. Opening the valise, she began walking over to the closet, where she took out a few dresses, and placed them into the case, neatly folded. Heading towards the dresser, she took out a few clean undergarments and placed them inside the case as well, along with her diary, toiletries, and other necessities. Once she had everything, she shut the valise, and locked it. She picked up the valise and headed towards the door, where she pulled it open. As she opened the door, she found Jack jump up from his seat, and look at her, his face pleading. Rose just stood tall, trying to make her face seem expressionless. She gripped onto the handle of the valise and swallowed quietly as she began heading towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked, his voice hoarse.

Rose turned around and looked over at Jack.

"I'm going to stay over at Annie's house for a couple of weeks," Rose said, her voice hoarse from crying. Her eyes were still red, and her eyes held betrayal and hurt.

"Rose—" Jack began.

"Jack, don't," Rose said, shaking her head. "You hurt me enough as it is. Don't make it worse," Rose opened the door and stood there, looking over at him. "Goodbye Jack," Rose said his name as if she was never going to say it anymore. As if this would be the last time she would ever see Jack after she walks out the door. Not taking a second glance, she walked out into the hallway and pulled the door closed behind her. Turning around, she placed a hand on the door, and leaned her head onto the door, as her eyes closed. "Oh Jack…I wish I could forgive you…I wish this could all be over." Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked up at the closed door. The closed door that separated her heart from her. The heart that kept her alive and happy was now locked up inside the apartment. Taking a deep breath, she finally found her self-confidence, and turned around and walked across the hall, towards Annie's apartment. She knocked on the door a couple of times, before setting her hand aside. Within moments, the door was answered.

Annie had a smile on her face, as she looked at Rose. "Hey, Rose," Annie said. She looked over at Rose, finding her eyes shining with hurt, and looked down, finding that she carried a valise. "Rose?" Annie asked, confused.

"Can I come in?" Rose asked, her eyes beginning to moisten with her tears.

"Sure," Annie said, moving aside. "Come on in."

Rose stepped inside, setting the case down beside the door, after Annie closed the door. She stood up straight and walked over to the couch.

"What happened?" Annie asked, sitting beside Rose. "Is it Jack?"

Rose's tears, once again, began to overflow. "Annie, he kissed another woman," Rose cried. "At the park."

"Oh, Rose," Annie said. "I'm sure you misunderstood—"

"No," Rose said. "I saw the woman kiss him," Rose paused, to calm her nerves down. Looking up, her eyes red, she continued. "He didn't pull away. He kissed her back."

"What?" Annie asked, not fully believing what she heard. "Not Jack…no,"

Rose nodded. "Yes, he did. And he hurt me," Rose cried. "I thought he had loved me, and that nothing would ever come between us," Rose looked over at Annie. "I thought we were meant for each other…" Tears poured down her cheeks, as she placed both hands over her face.

"Shhh," Annie said, placing an arm over Rose's shoulder. "Everything will be all right."

"No it won't," Rose cried, as she sat up straight.

"Rose…" Annie said, her voice soft and gentle.

"Annie, can I stay here for a couple of weeks?" Rose asked.

"Weeks?" Annie asked, worry shining in her face.

"Yes," Rose said. "Is it a problem?"

"No, no," Annie said. "Not at all. It's just…are you sure you want to do this?"

Rose nodded her head. "I need some time away from him," Rose said, looking down at her hands, catching a glimpse of the rings that were placed on her left ring finger. Placing two fingers over the rings, she carefully removed the rings and held them in her palm.

"Rose?" Annie said, watching as she held her rings in her clenched fist.

"I just can't have anything that reminds me of him right now," Rose said, looking up at her. "Maybe when I'm ready…when I'm ready to face him again, I'll put it back on. But right now, I-I can't wear these. It'll only make my heart ache more," Rose said, looking up at Annie. "I hope you understand."

"I understand, Rose," Annie said, giving Rose's back a gentle rub. "I just hope you know what you're doing."

Rose nodded her head. "I do know what I'm doing. I'll be fine," Rose said, as she looked down at her clenched hand. A lump began forming in Rose's throat as she looked up at Annie. She swallowed and felt her eyes moisten with her tears. "Would you mind giving these to Jack?"

Annie looked at her, with a confused expression about her face.

"Rose?" Annie said, looked down at her extended hand which held the two rings. "Are you sure?"

Tears welled up in Rose's eyes, as she looked down at the rings that represented her marriage to Jack. She swallowed down a sob and nodded her head, as she closed her eyes, to control her tears.

"Yes…" Rose said. "Just tell him…tell him that I want him to hold them until I-I'm ready." Rose said, her voice shaky and choked.

"Rose—" Annie began.

"Annie, please," Rose said, her eyes on her friend. "I just can't have anything that reminds me of him. Not after what he has done to me."

Annie let out a defeated sigh. "All right," Annie said, taking the rings in her hand. "But what if he asks to see you?"

"Just tell him that I-I," Rose closed her eyes as she held back the tears that were urging to pour down her cheeks. Taking a shaky breath, she reopened her eyes and looked up at him, feeling her heart break at the words that she was about to utter. "That I don't want to see him." Rose bowed her head, as she felt tears beginning to pour down her cheeks.

"Rose," Annie said, looking over at her. "Are you sure about this? I mean, you're in tears. Why don't you just give him another chance?"

"I can't," Rose cried. "I can't forgive him now. I can't," Rose covered her face with her hands as she sobbed. "I can't…"

Annie sighed. "All right," Annie said. "Whatever you say."

Annie looked over at Rose as she watched her cry in her hands. Shaking her head sadly, Annie went towards the door and went out into the hallway, and across the hallway, where she knocked on the door.

Jack sat on the couch, with his elbows leaning on his knees, with his face buried in his hands, as tears slid down his cheeks. Rose had left about fifteen minutes ago, leaving Jack with a broken heart. Running his fingers through his hair, Jack sat back, his face expressionless and his eyes shining with hurt and loneliness. Jack wiped his fallen tears with the back of his hand and sniffed. His eyes still glistened with his tears, as a frown was pasted on his face.

A knock on the door, had suddenly caused for Jack to jump up from his seat, as his head twisted towards the closed door. Half of his expected for Rose to be on the other side of the door, as the other half knew that she wasn't. Taking a deep breath, he made his way towards the door, leaning against it.

"Who is it?" Jack asked, his voice hoarse from his tears.

"Uh…it's Annie," He heard Annie say on the other side, and he heard a hint of sadness in her voice.

Putting his hand on the doorknob, he twisted it and pulled the door open, revealing Annie, who had her head bowed, and her hand clenched, as if she were holding something.

"Hey, Annie," Jack said, looking down, not wanting her to see his face.

"Hi, Jack," Annie said, looking up. She sighed as she looked down at her fist. "Rose…uh…she wanted me to give you these," Annie held out her unclenched and, revealing Rose's engagement and wedding ring.

Jack looked down at her palm and found Rose's rings resting on her hand. He felt a tear slide down his cheek as he took the rings from her hand. His heart sank, as he held the two rings in his own palm. The rings that he placed on Rose's finger when he proposed and when they married. His eyes shone with hurt and regret.

"She…uh…she said to hold them, until she's ready," Annie said, looking up at Jack.

Jack looked over at her, his eyes shining with his tears of hurt. He squeezed his eyes shut and just cried out. He clenched onto the rings and just banged on the open door, as he sobbed.

"Rose…Rose…" Jack cried, as he leaned his forehead against the door, letting his tears spill out of his eyes. "I love you…please…I love you!"

Annie's heart broke as she saw Jack cry. She had never heard, nor seen Jack cry. He was always brave around other people, and never lost his composure. Her eyes glistened with her own tears as she looked up at Jack.

"Jack," Annie said, her voice soft. "I-"

"Annie," Jack said, his voice choked up. "Just tell her I love her…I love her with all my heart and soul, and I'll die without her. Please…just tell her that," Jack said, his eyes pleading, his tears still giving his blue eyes a gloomy shimmer.

Annie bowed her head and just nodded. "I will," Annie said. "I'll tell her."

"T-thank you," Jack said, as more tears fell down his cheeks, his voice hoarse and gloomy.

Annie gave him a small smile, before turning to head back to her apartment. She heard Jack close the door behind him, and heard more sobbing from him. Annie gave out a sigh, as she opened her apartment door, finding Rose sitting there, her eyes redder and tears pouring down her cheeks.

Rose looked down at her trembling hands, as she felt her heart break. She had heard Jack's words out in the hallway as Annie gave him her rings. Rose tried to hold back her tears when she heard the three words that Jack always uttered to her, but failed when they cascaded down her cheeks, leaving her heart shattering into a million pieces. Rose looked up at Annie, noticing that she had tears welling up in her eyes as well.

"Annie, what's wrong?" Rose asked, trying to sound cheerful, but only ended up having a hoarse, shaky voice.

"Rose, why are you doing this?" Annie asked, looking down at her. "Jack's hurt…he's hurt really bad, and you're killing him. He looks as if he's going to die."

"Annie, I can't…I just can't go back to him," Rose said, feeling more tears well up in her eyes. Closing her eyes, she tried to hold them back, as she let out a shaky breath. "He hurt me, Annie. Don't you understand. He hurt me really bad. How would you feel, if you found the one man you love kissing another woman?"

"I…well, I…" Annie stuttered, knowing that Rose was right. Jack had hurt her and he was unfaithful to their wedding vows. "I'd feel hurt…just as you."

"I never thought that Jack would hurt me like this," Rose said, her voice choked. "I-I thought that he loved me…I thought I was everything to him…"

"But you are, Rose," Annie said, heading towards her. "Jack loves you more than anything in this world."

"Then why did he kiss that woman!" Rose exclaimed, as tears continually slid down her cheek. "If he loved me, he wouldn't have hurt me like this…he wouldn't have betrayed me. And what's making this even worse is that I love him…I still love him, and that's killing me, because I can't find myself forgiving him. Not after what he's done. He hurt me too much to even go back and forgive him," Rose said, her voice hoarse. Tears poured down her cheeks, as she held a hand over her face. "Why do I have to love him so much? Why does my heart lead me to him? Why?" Rose cried as her body shook with her heart-wrenching sobs. "Why?"

"Maybe it's because you two are meant for each other," Annie said, her eyes shining with hope. "Maybe your heart is telling you to forgive him."

Rose shook her head, and wiped away her fallen tears. "No matter how much my heart aches without him, I just can't forgive him. I can't. And I won't. If I had known he was going to do this to me, then I would have been better off with Cal."

Annie just sat there, not knowing what to say, nor what to do. She just watched as Rose sat there on the sofa, hurt and betrayed by the one man she ever learned to love. Annie saw as Rose's hands trembled, and as her body continued to shake against her sobs.

"I-I'll…uh…I'll go and get the guestroom ready for you," Annie said, as she got up and went towards Rose's valise, lifting it up from the floor. She turned to face Rose. "I'll be back," With that, Annie left the parlor room and went towards the guest room, which was two doors beside her bedroom.

Rose just sat there, as she placed a hand over her lower abdomen, where her unborn child developed. Tears slid down her cheeks and fell onto the fabric of her pale green dress, as her heart broke knowing that her marriage with Jack was nearly falling apart. She lay down on the couch, and hugged herself, as she continued to cry, and let out all her hurt and anger that continued to torment her every time she thought of Jack. As she cried, she heard raindrops pattering on the window of the parlor room, bringing more grief and pain to her heart, as her soul matched with the weather outside-gloomy, hurt, and betrayed.

Jack leaned against the door as tears ran down his cheeks. In his fist, he held the two rings that Annie had given him. The two rings that had belonged to Rose. Sliding down the door, he cried. Jack had to admit, he never cried. He always showed everybody that he was a man, and not a child. Even when they were on the Titanic, he didn't show that he was scared. But now—with his marriage nearly colliding with an iceberg—Jack couldn't careless if he was a man. His heart told him that he was in love, and if he lost that from Rose, he would die. He wouldn't be able to find a reason to live, nor could he imagine living a life without Rose. His heart belonged to Rose, and nobody else. He opened his fist and caught a glimpse of the diamond on Rose's engagement ring. He slid the rings on his pinky, which only went halfway, and just brought his hands towards his face, letting his tears once again overflow. His heart broke into millions of pieces as he thought of their marriage coming to an end. Of their love ending, only because Kristen had kissed him. Jack angrily banged on the floor as he let out an angered yell, tears spilling down his cheeks as he did so.

"Why!" Jack wailed, as he squeezed his eyes shut, in attempt to stop the tears from flowing. "I love you! I love you…please, come back to me… please…" Jack brought a hand towards his face and felt the tears flow. His body shook with his sobs, as Fabrizio just looked at him, concern shining in his brown eyes.

"Mamma mia," Fabrizio murmured. "You are 'a falling apart…"

Jack looked up at Fabrizio, his eyes red and his lips trembling.

"My whole life is falling apart," Jack cried, his voice hoarse. His blue eyes looked upward. He let out a short cry, as he shut his eyes. "God, please…let Rose forgive me…let Rose love me again…I can't live without her… I can't…I love her too much…" Jack lowered his head, as he looked down at the rings he held in his hand. "Please, God…give me back my Rose…my love… my soul mate…I need her…I love her…I love her…I love her…I love her… please…PLEASE!" Jack shouted as he angrily banged his fist on the floor. His teeth were clenched as tears came pouring down his cheeks. "Please…"

Fabrizio went over to him, and tried to comfort him the best he could, as he embraced him, letting him cry against his shoulder. He had never seen Jack cry this much, since he had known him. It was as if he was a broken soul, and Rose was the only person that could fix it. Rose deserved to be with Jack, and be happy with each other. He didn't want them to be like this.

He was positively sure that they would get back together. He had never been so sure of anything in his life, until this very moment. It was something in his heart that told him that Jack and Rose would be happy together, once again.

The rain began pouring outside, pattering against the window. Jack looked out the window and cried. His heart shattered into millions of pieces as he thought of how much longer he would have to spend a day without Rose. He looked down at the rings, and angrily threw them across the room, where they hit the wall, and fell onto the floor, beside each other. He leaned his head against the door and just cried, as his body shook with sobs.

"I love her…" Jack cried, as he buried his face into his hands. "I love her…"

A/N: Well, I hope you liked it...please review!