Chapter four

Sorry about the lack of updates, I have been really busy, and thought this story had been forgotten

Things are worse

"Hey Harry, have you seen Rose?" Jack continued to look around for his wife. Harry shook his head, "no mate, I haven't seen her for a while." Jack began to run, pushing his way through the crowd, were was she? And what about Cora, it wasn't like Rose to run off without telling anyone, especially when she was heavily pregnant. Suddenly he heard crying and a loud voice. "Stop pulling! I'm not going to hurt you!" Jack spun around. He saw Cora struggling and crying, trying to escape the grip of a well dressed dark haired man who had his back to him.

"Hey let go of her!" he ran towards the man and punched him hard in the face, just as he turned around to see who had shouted. "Daddy!" Cora threw herself into her father's arms, clearly distressed. Jack heard a groan; quickly he looked up and saw to his horror that he recognised the man-Cal.

"What did you do with her!" he yelled, taking a threatening step towards him. "Where's Rose? What did you do with her?" Cal put a hand up to his nose, which was bleeding. "I didn't o anything!" he growled at him, his eyes narrowed. Jack glared at him, and he quickly continued. "I don' know where she is! She went into labour, my wife and the doctor took her, I went to get your daughter here." He nodded his head towards a still crying Cora. "where did they take her!" yelled Jack, even more panicked, "where?" "to the hospital, I imagine!" replied Cal.

Spinning round Jack pulled Cora into his arms and ran. He had to get help, he had to find Rose! He hardly knew where he was running, and he hardly cared, running wildly he accidentally crashed into a woman, sending her flying. Picking up Cora first, he quickly helped the lady to her feet. "sorry ma'am," he quickly apologised as her husband began to shout angrily. "I'm really sorry!" "by god you should be!" shouted her angry husband. "what did you think you where doing?" "please," said jack, "sir, my wife went into labour, I was told she was taken to the hospital, but I can't get there! Please sir," he begged, "please help me!" the gentleman suddenly changed his tone. "well, why didn't you tell me?" he barked, "come lad, follow me, I'll make sure you get there."

Jack didn't say much as the man drove Jack, Cora and his wife to the hospital. The only time he spoke was to either thank the man once gain, or reassure Cora that everything would be alright. "did he hurt you?" he asked Cora quietly, the little girl shook her head. "no," she sobbed, "but mummy got mad, she yelled at them."

Jack wondered what Rose had said? It must have been a shock for her to come face to face with Cal, he hoped she was okay . . . if something happened . . . well, he didn't want to think about that.

It seemed like hours, but finely they reached the hospital. Jack rushed inside, quickly asking were Rose was. "Mrs. Dawson?" the lady didn't sound a bit fazed at jack's worried state. "oh yes, we got a telegram for you only a minute ago. She's not here, they told me to give this to you if you arrived." She held out a piece of paper and jack tore it from her hands, reading it quickly.

"What!" he yelled, "they took her where!" but it was there, so plain in black and white-written on the paper was the address to Cal's house.

Cal opened the door to the manner and stepped into his house, all he wanted was to be alone and wallow in self pity at his bitter memories, but as soon as he entered the house he was met by a commotion. Maids running everywhere. Shouting orders at one another, and then he saw prudence, his own wife, working among them. "what's going on!" he cried out angrily. Prudence glanced up in surprise. "Cal! How long have you been here?" she asked, then without waiting for a response she yelled, "honey, please get some towels quickly!" before Cal could answer he found himself obliged to carry a bundle of bright white towels into the spare room. He didn't know what he had expected to see when he walked in that room, but it was not what he saw.

Rose lay on the bed, moaning in clear distress. She was barely conscious, her red curls hanging limply, her beautiful face white as a sheet. And as much as Cal told himself he hated her, somewhere deep inside he felt a stab of pain at seeing her so helpless. And he remembered, she had once been his he had owned her once, and she would have been his wife. But she left him, left him for the gutter rat, she had his child, she was going to have another child of his-and even now she cried out his name, and bitter pain and hatred rushed over him once more.

He stood there, in the middle of the room, watching the commotion around him, not really knowing what to do, for this was not a gentleman's place to be. finely Prudence noticed him. "Cal!" she called, "cal, go and get her husband Jack, please, he should be here!" she turned her attention back to Rose. Cal flinched at the very sound of his name, "I can't get him, I sent him to the hospital." He replied stiffly. "oh Cal!" prudence didn't even look at him this time, "well notify the hospital then so they can send him here! Hurry!"

Prudence turned back to the doctor, "what's happening? Is she going to be alright?" Rupert looked at Rose, his forehead lined with worry. "The baby is in beach position," he said quietly, "and it is stuck, if we don't deliver soon, we won't only lose the baby, but the young lady as well." Prudence gasped, "can't…can't you do anything?" Rupert shook his head, "I've tried, and I'll try again but…" his voice trailed off.

"Here you are son, good luck." "Thanks," Jack jumped out of the car, "thanks so much for the lift," he pulled Cora tightly into his arms. "that's alright," the man called, "you just look after your wife, bye!" and he was off. Jack turned to the huge Manson before him-and this was just a house for business? What a waste, but he had no time to worry about the house, Cora in his arms, he ran to the door and pounded on it.

A young maid opened the door, "Jack Dawson?" she inquired, before quickly inviting them inside. "Here, Alanna, take the little one," she instructed a much older woman, before showing jack down the hall. "the door down the end, on the right," she whispered, before scurrying away.

Jack was just about to open the door, when it opened itself, and Cal appeared.