That afternoon, Jack and Rose talk about her dreams of becoming an actress, a writer, and every other thing she dreams of. Much to Rose's relief, Jack avoids the topic of her reason for being at the pub and every other odd thing she's done. Eventually, their conversation drifts towards Santa Monica and Jack makes his promise to take her there and teach her to ride like a man. He then says he'll teach her how to spit like a man right then and there.

Despite Rose's protests, Jack drags her over to the railing and demonstrates how to spit, "Alright, now you try it."

Rose rolls her eyes, hocks back as she'd done when she spat in Cal's eye, and spits. Her spit goes out farther than even Jack's and he stares at her, "I thought you said you hadn't learned how to spit!"

Rose smirks, "I said they didn't teach it in finishing school. And they didn't."

Jack laughs, "You are...very unique."

Rose raises an eyebrow, "I'm not sure if that should be taken as an insult or a compliment."

Jack smiles, "The latter."

Rose laughs, "Alright then, thank you."

Just as she says that, she sees her mother, the countess of Rothes, and Molly Brown walking up behind them. Her smile falls and she coughs to Jack so he turns around to see them. Rose puts on a fake smile as they arrive, "Mother, this is Jack Dawson, the man who saved me last night," Rose motions towards Jack.

Her mother looks him up and down in a disgusted manner, even without the spit, the clothes were enough to make her disgusted, "Charmed, I'm sure."

Rose looks at her mother in mock confusion, "Is their something wrong, mother? Do you know Mr. Dawson from somewhere I do not? From what I've heard of him, he's quite a lovely man. He did save my life, after all."

Ruth stammers, clearly caught off guard by the subtle accusation, "W-what makes you think something's wrong?"

Rose looks at Jack, who is suppressing a smile, then back at her mother, "Perhaps I was simply imagining it, but it seemed to me as though you were...disgusted by Mr. Dawson," She turns to Molly and the Countess, "Was I imagining it?"

The Countess remains silent, unwilling to partake in the squabble between mother and daughter, but Molly says, "Well...it did appear Ruth was a bit...distrustful of the boy."

Ruth's face reddens in embarrassment and anger, "I haven't a clue what the two of you are talking about. I-" Before Ruth can finish, the dinner bell cuts them off, saving her from giving excuses.

Molly laughs, "Why do they insist on announcing dinner like some damned cavalry charge?"

Everyone chuckles and Rose turns to her mother, "Shall we go dress, mother?"

Ruth gives a stiff nod and Rose takes her arm. As the women walk away, Rose calls over her shoulder with a small wave, "I'll see you at dinner, Jack."

Jack nods and waves back.

As they walk Ruth whispers to Rose, "What in heaven's name is wrong with you? What did you think you were doing back there? It was unladylike and rude, you are never to do a thing like it again."

Rose sighs, "Oh mother, please, you think I was being rude? You were the one who was looking at the man who saved my life like an insect."

"He is filthy and poor! Whether he saved your life or not, someone of your status ought not to even socialize with him. Quite frankly, I don't see what Cal was thinking inviting him for dinner."

"Mother, J-Mr. Dawson is a very kind man, social status doesn't affect that. I owe him my life and it was only decent of me to thank him. I find it rather discomforting that you think my life is worth less than our appearance and social status."

"Thank him perhaps, but he has been thanked and you continue to socialize with him. You must remember out situation, Rose. You mustn't give Mr. Hockley any reason to think you disloyal."

"Mother, conversing with another male should not give Caledon any reason to distrust me. I have done nothing wrong and neither has Mr. Dawson. I refuse to stand my and watch you treat him like filth!"

Ruth gives an exasperated sigh, "How do you not understand, Rose? Mr. Dawson is the last thing you need in your life right now and-"

"I will be the judge of who and what I need in my life, mother. I know myself better than you or you would have done things rather differently and not be forcing me into a loveless marriage."

"Marriage isn't about love, Rose, you know this. It's simply a business deal. Mr. Hockley provides for us both splendidly, he is a fine match. You must understand this."

"Perhaps marriage isn't about love for you, but I wanted it to be about that for me. You gave me no choice in the matter. Anyway, my marriage isn't the topic of this discussion. The topic is your treatment of Jack. I wan-"

Ruth's head snaps towards Rose, "What did you just call that boy?"

Rose turns red and stammers, "I-I-um."

"Only thanking him, really? What is wrong with you, Rose? You should not be on a first name basis with him!"

"It's not like that, mother. He simply asked me to call him Jack from the moment we met. You see, only high society people refrain from using first names. I had to respect his wishes."

"You are never to refer to that boy as 'Jack' again. Are we clear?"

"You are to act civil with him at dinner, not ridicule his every move, and not refer to him as 'that boy' again. Are we clear?"

Ruth scoffs, "Fine. So long as you agree with my terms."

"Then we have an agreement. You will not hear me refer to Mr. Dawson as Jack so long as you hold your end of the bargain."

The two woman finish the return to their rooms in silence. Rose thinks over the conversation with her mother, rather pleased with the outcome. So long as she didn't call Jack by his first name only in front of her mother, things would be fine. Hopefully her mother would uphold her end of the agreement. If she didn't, at least Rose would have no need to refrain from referring to Jack by his first name.

...

Rose finds Jack at the bottom of the grand staircase practicing little gestures to an invisible person. Rose's heart melts at the sight. She feels as though she's in a fairy tale where she is the princess, the damsel in distress, and he the prince, the savior, and she wants nothing more than to run to her prince and let him sweep her away. Somehow, she manages to keep her calm as she slowly makes her way down the stairs.

Jack catches sight of her and he freezes before slowly making his way over to her as though in a trance. She does look like a princess in her beautiful red and black gown, with the black over-layer draping on angles and wrapping around to a train. Sparkling gems cover the gown on gradients on the sleeves and every drape.

Jack watches her make her way down the stairs and then reaches to take her gloved hand. He gently presses his lips to it, keeping eye contact, and Rose finds herself blushing as he does this. When he lifts his lips, Jack gives a small laugh, "I saw that on a Nickelodeon once and I've always wanted to do it."

Rose laughs as she takes his offered arm. Jack sticks his nose up in a mock stuck-up fashion, causing Rose to laugh. Rose reaches her arm out to tap Cal's arm as she approaches him and Ruth, "Cal, darling. This is Jack Dawson. From last night."

Cal looks shocked, "Dawson? Why, I didn't recognize you. You could almost pass for a gentleman."

It takes all of Rose's self control to keep a smile and not snap at Cal, "He's more of a gentleman they you'll ever be," somehow, she refrains.

Jack takes it all in stride, as he always does, and says with a smirk, "Almost."

Rose looks at him admiringly, she doesn't understand how he can do it. She wouldn't be able to stand the injustice if it were her in his place.

They walk down a staircase into another room leading to the dining room. Rose lets Jack in on all of the latest high society gossip or, at least what she can remember. After all, it's been a year since she had was informed daily of all the gossip in every socialite's life. Eventually, they make their way to the table and everyone sits down.

Halfway through dinner, Rose is beginning to wonder if perhaps her mother will keep her side of the agreement when her mother speaks to the group, "So, Mr. Dawson, tell us of the accommodations in steerage. I hear they're quite good on this ship."

Rose's head snaps towards her mother, but with Cal sitting between them, she can't to anything to stop her. Jack, being Jack, twists the intended insult into a joke, "The best I've seen, ma'am. Hardly any rats."

Everyone laughs with him, but Ruth isn't done. She continues to rudely interrogate him exactly as she did the first time and it takes everything in Rose not to walk over to Ruth an slap her silly.

Finally, dinner comes to an end and Jack slips Rose the same note, telling her to meet him at the clock, before he leaves to wait at the clock and she meets him there.

As they walk to the party, Jack can clearly see that something is bothering Rose, so he asks her if everything is alright. She looks at him, caught off guard, "Oh, it's just my mother. I-I just don't understand her. How does she find pleasure in ridiculing someone as kind as you. You're more than twice the gentleman Cal could ever be, I don't know how she can't see that. What's really bothering me is that my mother promised me she would do nothing of the sort, then went and did it anyway. I just don't understand her."

Jack looks at her, surprised, "You made her promise not to mess with me?"

Rose blushes and avoids his gaze, "I-It was nothing, really. She shouldn't even have to promise such a thing. She should just be kind enough not to do it in the first place!"

Jack smirks, "Some people are just like that. Their insults doesn't mean a thing to me anymore, it's all just words."

"Our society is so messed up if your used to it. It just shouldn't happen."

"You're right, but there's nothing we can do about it right now. So, let's just go to the party and you can forget all about your mother, Hockley, and every other worry on your mind."

And Rose does just that. She lets the herself get swept up and the party and has a wonderful time. She dances with Jack, lets him take her up onto the table to dance, then she chugs her glass of beer. When someone gets bumped into her and she spills beer all over herself, she goes to put the glass down and hears Tommy challenging a man to another arm wrestle. She smirks and grabs Tommy's cigarette right from his mouth and taking a long drag. He stares at her in shock and she says, "So, you think you're a big tough man? Let's see you try and do this."

Rose picks up her skirt and hands it to Jack, "Hold this for me Jack, hold it up."

Jack holds up the skirt and Rose places her feet and arms in ballet first position. She squeezes her muscles together and slowly lifts up to demi-point, then farther and farther, until she is standing on her toes. Rose's muscles scream and her toes hurt with the weight. Her mouth opens in pain and her eyes squeeze shut. After a few seconds, she gives into the pain and lets herself collapse into Jack's arms with a laugh, "I haven't done that in years."

Just then, she catches sight of something in the corner of her eyes and her smile falls. Lovejoy stands on the stairs staring directly at her. So that's how Cal found out, "Shit," she mutters.

Jack follows her gaze to the man and his smile falters as well, "Who is that?"

Rose stands up as Lovejoy disappears up the stairs. She grabs her shoes from a woman holding them and puts them on quickly, "I-I have to go. I'll come back in a minute, I promise. Don't come after me, Jack, please."

Jack reaches for her arm, "Rose, wait!"

But it is too late, she is already running through the people and up the stairs.

Jack watches her disappear, unsure of if she really will come back. What if that man does something to her? What if the guy doesn't let her come back? She told him not to go after her, but maybe he should. Jack sighs as the next song starts. A line of people starts and Fabrizio reaches to take Jack's hand, but Jack just shakes his head and makes his way over to sit down. The party doesn't feel the same without Rose and Jack is in no mood to dance anymore.

...

Meanwhile, Rose runs after Lovejoy, "Mr. Lovejoy! Please, stop!"

She eventually catches up to the man and she stops him, "Sir, please, don't tell anyone I was down there. I swear, I wasn't doing anything bad. It was just a little fun, Cal doesn't need to know."

Lovejoy smirks, "Oh, but I think he does, Miss. You see, he had been hoping you would come to him."

"Just tell him I was tired. Please, what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"And what he does know benefits me."

Rose looks at him, composed and calm, but a little pleadingly, "What must I do for you not to tell him?"

Lovejoy thinks for a moment, "Well, if you go to him now, then he won't know a thing is wrong and no need to know of this."

Rose's face pales ever so slightly. She had promised to go back to Jack and, should she go to Cal...heaven knows what he'd want from her and she'd be forced to give him all he wanted. For these few days, she was back in her glass jar, "I..."

Lovejoy gives a grin that makes Rose's blood grow cold, she knows what this man is capable of, he almost killed her and Jack last time. If this came to anything physical...perhaps she should have just stayed at the party and taken what Cal would give her in the morning. Lovejoy says, "You don't like that? Well, then I'd say I can simply tell him, but now that the idea is in my head, I think it would be best for all of us if you went to him now."

Rose shakes her head and takes a step back, "No. Tell him if you must, but I do not wish to go to him."

"Well, that's a pity. Our lives would both be easier if you did. My obligation, however, lies with Mr. Hockley and it is in his best interest, as well as ours, that you go to him."

With that, Lovejoy takes a fairly gentle, but firm, grip of her arm and begins to lead her down the hallway. Rose attempts to pull away, but his grip only hardens to an almost painful hold. Rose says in the firmest voice she can muster, "Mr. Lovejoy, it is in your best interest that you let go of me. I can scream, and imagine the predicament that would put you in."

"And imagine how upset that would make Mr. Hockley. After all, he knows you and I. He knows what I was sent to do"

As Rose realizes the hopeless predicament she has put herself in, tears threaten to fall from her eyes. Of course, it doesn't seem that bad, but she knows Cal and she knows how first class men are. If he was "hoping she'd come to him," then he wanted intimacy and she did not want to give him anything of the sort, "Please! Let go of me!"

Lovejoy completely ignores her, his grip hardening with each of her struggles, and Rose can only hope that someone, and hopefully someone who cares for her, had heard her shout. Lucky for her, someone did, and she knows it when she hears running and the shout of her savior's so familiar voice, "Hey! You, let go of her!"

Rose turns her head to see Jack running down the hall to her, "Jack!"

Lovejoy stops and turns, but doesn't let go of Rose. Before Lovejoy can do anything, Jack frees Rose's hand and pushes Lovejoy away from her, "You heard the girl, let her go!"

Lovejoy looks at Jack, a bit shocked, "Excuse me, Dawson, but Mrs. Dewitt-Bukater has an obligation and must follow me."

Jack raises an eyebrow, "Well, Rose sure doesn't want to do it. What is it that it's so bad?"

"That's none of your business."

"It kind of is, seeing as I'm not gonna let her go with you unless she wants to and I know what's going on."

"Mr. Hockley summoned for her, I don't know why she is so against coming."

Rose narrows her eyes, "You know how he works. You know what he wants, so you know why I don't wish to go."

Lovejoy gives a cool laugh, "Mr. Hockley will be interested to hear all this. You better watch yourself in the morning, Mrs. Dewitt-Bukater."

With that Lovejoy walks away as though nothing has happened. Rose lets herself fall against the wall as she watches after Lovejoy. She whispers, "What have I done. I've only made it worse."

Jack puts a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, it'll be alright. Is there anything I can do?"

Rose shakes her head, "No, no. I have to do this myself."

"What's that guy's issue and what did Hockley want?"

Rose looks away, "I-It's hard to explain, with you not knowing my world, but it's something I can not-will not-give him."

Jack looks at her for a moment then nods, "There's absolutely nothing I can do."

Rose looks at him, "Not about that at least. Thank you for saving me. L-Let's just forget about that, I'll be fine."

Jack puts his hands in his pockets, "I don't believe that."

Rose stares at him for a moment before shaking her head, "The most you can do is take me back to that party and let me forget everything for as long as I can."

Jack sighs, "As you wish. Come on, let's go."

Rose takes his outstretched hand with a smile and they go back to the party.

...

All to soon, the night ends and Rose finds herself walking back to her part of the ship with Jack as they drunkenly sing "Come Josephine In My Flying Machine."

Their broken lyrics and off key notes grow quieter and come to a stop as they reach the first class sign. Rose stares up at the sign before reluctantly taking Jack's coat off her shoulders and returning it to him, "Here we are."

Jack takes the coat with a small sigh, "Right."

Rose laughs a bit, "I don't want to go back."

She looks up at the night sky. There are so many stars and it's all even more beautiful than she remembered, "Look. It's beautiful."

Jack follows her gaze as she makes her way to the side of the ship and he joins her, "Yeah."

Rose grabs a rope and swings herself around, "So vast and endless. We're so small," she laughs, "My crowd...they think their giants, but they're not even dust in God's eyes."

Jack looks down at her, "You know, there's been a mistake. You're not one of them. You were mailed to the wrong address."

She laughs, "I was, wasn't I?"

Suddenly, a star takes off across the sky, catching Rose's eyes, "Look! A shooting star."

Jack looks after it and watches the star fade away, "That was a long one. You know, my pops used to say a shooting star is a soul going to heaven."

He looks at Rose, but she hadn't heard him. Her mind had drifted away to the last two times she'd seen a shooting star. Her wish to come back for Jack and...when he had died. Looking up at the stars that night, she'd seen one fall. A soul, Jack's soul, going to heaven. Tears threaten to fall, and Jack sees them, "What's wrong?"

Rose looks at him, "What? Oh, nothing. Nothing."

Jack smirks, you seem to say that a lot."

She laughs, "I suppose I do. You know, aren't you supposed to wish on a shooting star?"

Jack raises his eyebrows, "Why? What would you wish for?"

Rose looks at him. She knows what she's supposed to say, she knows what she said last time, but her mouth isn't moving. It can't. She's in a trance, lost in his ocean eyes and too far in love to pull back. She feels the gap between them lessen and she doesn't stop it. They get closer and closer until both their eyes close. Their lips touch ever so slightly, but neither gives in to the kiss. Jack is waiting for the permission that Rose can't give.

She sharply intakes breath and pulls away. She looks into his eyes and wants nothing more than to fall into his arms, but she only whispers, "Something I can't have."

Rose walks to the door, but she freezes when her hand rests on the handle as Jack calls, "Rose, wait."

She does, but she doesn't look towards him, afraid he'll see the tears streaming down her face, "Don't do this, Rose. Don't let them make you do this. If you want me, you can have me. I'm yours. You've stolen my heart, Rose, every bit of it...a-and I don't want it back."

And you've stolen mine. My heart has been yours for the past year.

Jack takes a slow step forward, "Rose, you are the most amazingly, astounding, wonderful girl-no, woman, that I've ever known, but I'm not an idiot. I know how the world works. I have nothing to offer you and I know that, I understand, but I'm not gonna let you go like this. It's you jump, I jump, remember? I'm not going to turn away without knowing that you'll be alright, that you will be happy with the life you choose," tears begin to well in Jack's eyes at her pain, "That's all I want."

Rose manages to say through her tears, "I-I'm fine."

Jack slowly keeps moving forward, "I don't believe that. They've got you trapped, and you're gonna die if you don't break free. Not right away, because you're strong, but, sooner or later, that fire that I love about you...that fire is gonna burn out."

Rose turns her head further away and her hand grips the handle so hard her fingers turn white, "It's not up to you to save me."

Jack nods, "Yeah, I know, only you can do that, but I'll be here for you."

Slowly, Rose turns over her shoulder to look at Jack. Seeing him standing there, only a few feet away, she can't stand it anymore. Something inside her snaps and, before she can do a thing about it, she's in his arms and her lips are on his. The kiss is salty, yet sweet. Salty because both of them are crying, though Rose more than Jack. It's a long kiss, neither wanting, nor willing, to pull away.

Eventually, Rose just collapses in his arms, sobbing. Jack strokes her hair, "I'll be here for you, Rose, you can tell me everything. You can trust me with all your secrets, I'll keep them. I can bear your problems, if only you'll let me. I'm here for you, Rose, I'm here."

Rose looks up at him through her tears, "I-I want to, Jack, I do. I really do."

"Than you can. I can take everything and anything you tell me. I can take whatever it is with Hockley or anything else."

Rose gives a small laugh, "Cal...he's honestly the least of my worries right now. It's so much more than that, Jack...so much more. The weight of so many people, lives, even you. So many things and...if I can't do it..." another sob escapes her lips, "I would tell you, Jack, but I can't. Not yet. I will, I promise, I will, but I just can't yet."

Jack holds her tighter to him, only imagining what it is she speaks of, "Just tell me what you want me to do to make thing easier."

Rose whispers, "Just be with me..."

Jack kisses her hair, "I will."

Rose takes a deep breath, "I have to go back. They'll come for me if I don't. I won't abandon you, Jack, I promise. I'll find you."

Before Jack can say a word, Rose presses her lips to his for just a moment before running through the door and closing it behind her. Jack watches the door for a minute before giving a small nod and turning to walk back to steerage, lost in thought over what just happened between him and Rose.

A/N: Alright, that was a rather sad chapter. I wasn't planning the scene with Lovejoy, but my writing was, so that happened... Anyway, I think that Rose's breakdown was bound to happen. Sure, she's strong, but who could possibly bear the lives of 1,500 people on their shoulders and not breakdown? I hope you enjoyed:)
(I've left the poll from last time up on my profile for one more chapter. It will be taken down with the next update.)