COLLIDE

Chapter Six

Jack shifted in on the bed and listened to the rain tapping lightly on the roof above him. He sighed and turned over to watch Rose. She had fallen asleep some time ago, but he had been unable to sleep. Their story still fresh in his mind, he had tossed and turned for hours now. It was as if he was living is some sort of dream. He had just found out that the mystery woman was really the love of his life. He didn't need to be told that they had been in love, that they still were in love. All he had to do was look into her eyes and he knew. Everything was alright now even if his memory never did come back. He had Rose now and that was more than enough for him. He had been given this miracle, this second chance for reasons completely unknown to him. As he watched her in her sleep, he realized that he would never to able to let her go now. He had seen her, touched her, kissed her and there was no going back.

To his amazement, Rose's eyes fluttered open at that moment and her mouth curved into a soft smile.

"Hey."

He smiled back at her and rubbed his thumb across her jaw. "Hey."

She moved closer to him and laid her head on his chest. "Jack, why weren't you sleeping?"

"I couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind I guess."

Rose nodded in understanding and moved even closer to him. Remembering her condition, she quickly readjusted herself so that he couldn't feel the slight swell of her stomach. She thanked God that it wasn't really visible yet, but it would be soon. Then he would leave her and that would be it.

He leaned forward and kissed her lips softly, making her fears fade away for the moment. He kissed more deeply now, wanting to feel more of her, but she quickly pushed him away as his hand began to slide towards her stomach.

"What's wrong, Rose? I thought that…"

"I'm sorry Jack, I just…I think we're moving too fast. I just found you again. You just found out about us. I don't want to rush this, especially when you don't even know who I am."

"I know who you are, Rose."

"You don't know what you're saying. You're just trying to make me feel better." She quickly got up from the bed and began to pace.

"I do know what I'm saying…"

"No, you don't. How can you when yesterday you didn't even know I existed."

"Rose, would you stop? Please? Just calm down and listen to me." He took her firmly by the shoulders and made her sit on the edge of the bed. "I may not have known your name yesterday, but I know you existed. How else can you explain the dreams that I've had? Rose, feelings don't just disappear. I love you. I love you, Rose."

Rose's mouth dropped open and she leaned back on the bed for support. What did he just say?

"Rose, did you hear me? I said I love you."

Rose looked at him and finally realized everything that he had been saying. So what if he didn't remember how they feel in love? He still loved her and that was enough. He was here, he was alive, and she couldn't ask for anything else.

"I love you too, Jack."

He grinned and his eyes sparkled, making her laugh softly. He pulled her closer and kissed her deeply before whispering in her ear: "Marry me."

"Jack…"

"We love each other, Rose. We're alive. We survived. I can't just turn away now knowing that you're real, that you're not just a figment of my imagination. Say you'll marry me, Rose. Spend the rest of your life with me. Let's get married."

Rose's lips caught his infectious grin and she kissed him happily.

"So is that a yes, then?"

She laughed and was about to answer, but then she remembered one important little detail. He had to know. And she couldn't lie to him and tell him that it was his baby.

"Jack…"

His smile quickly faded when he saw the look on her face. Something was wrong. She shouldn't look so sad when he had just proposed.

"What?"

"There's something you need to know."

He nodded and sat next to her on the bed, taking her hands in his. "Whatever it is, I can take it. Just tell me."

She smiled faintly. "I'm pregnant, Jack."

She watched with a heavy heart as the look on his face shifted from complete shock to joy.

"Rose, this is great! I can't believe it! I'm going to be a father! Why didn't you tell me before?"

She bit her lip and wiped a stray tear from her eye. "Jack, you're not the father."

Jack looked like he had just been slapped and he quickly got up from the bed and walked over to the window. She couldn't see his face but she could see his shoulders heaving as he leaned onto the windowsill.

Finally after an unbearable silence, she finally heard him speak: "Tell me, Rose."

She walked closer and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, almost crying out when she felt him tense at her touch.

"My ex-fiancée, Cal, he's the father. The doctor told me that I got pregnant before I met you."

"Did he force you?"

She paused at his words, pushing away any hope that maybe he would understand, and tried to forget that he didn't sound angry with her.

"He said that he had a right to my body because we were to be married. I never loved him but I thought that he was right. I tried to fight with him the first few times, but then I realized that it was only making it worse."

He turned around and gazed at her with tear-filled eyes. "You should have told me."

"I…I know. I'm sorry, but I didn't know what to do. I'm still in shock that you're alive. I'm not completely sure that I've accepted the fact that I'm pregnant with Cal's child yet either."

He nodded and reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "I'm sorry that happened to you. You didn't deserve that."

She felt another tear fall down her cheek as his hand brushed her cheek. He was just trying to make her feel better, then he would tell her that he couldn't be with her. That he couldn't raise another man's baby. That he couldn't marry her.

"I know that now. Listen Jack, I'll be alright. I've learned how to survive these last few months. I don't need you to try to take care of me out of obligation. I'll leave now."

With that, she turned on her heel and fled the room.

Jack felt like he was in a daze as he watched her run from the room. It wasn't his baby. Rose was having another man's baby. The father of her child was a man that had forced himself on her. It was all too much, too much too soon and he couldn't handle anymore. He sank down on the bed then quickly shot back up. What the hell was he doing? Rose had just left, in the middle of the night no less. Without a second thought, he quickly ran down the stairs and began searching for her.

Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills my mind
I somehow find
You and I collide