Chapter 34

May 30, 1912

Fabrizio had gained enough confidence to drive the car by himself to the hospital. Jesse told the family while they were visiting he needed some better change of clothes before he was discharged from the hospital, and Fabrizio brought them along. At first, he didn't believe the family told the truth. He had believed Jesse died, and that there was no way that would be him. He figured that name was common, especially in a city like New York. Nonetheless, he got ready for the drive to the hospital.

Earlier he had a tough time getting up and sneaking out of the room, because if Jack found out, the surprise will be ruined. He tried quietly to open the door to Jesse's room, but the creaking hinges were loud enough he was afraid he might have woken up Jack. He looked behind him. Jack was still soundly asleep. Once he was done, he went outside, trying to figure out how to start the car without waking Jack. Fortunately, Jon walks out of the house, as he is tying his robe, and they both pushed the car until it was a reasonable distance from the house, where it wouldn't sputter and back fire when it started. And he was on his way to picking up Jesse from the hospital.

Jesse gets ready for his discharge. He had lost considerable amount of weight since the sinking, and his slim clothes made him even slimmer. Despite that, all the female nurses had an attraction to Jesse. Soon, Fabrizio entered the room, followed by the doctor. At first, he didn't believe his eyes, as it was white in the room. He then saw Jesse, sitting in a chair, still in his hospital garb, as the doctor slowly once more steps out of the room, then closes the door. Completely shocked, Fabrizio dropped Jesse's clothes, the belt buckle rattling on the floor. A month had gone by since the sinking, but it felt like forever, as they both slowly approach each other. Soon, the room was filled with soft sobbing and sniffles, as Jesse and Fabrizio embraced each other for a long time, after believing one or the other had died.

They eventually broke apart, with Jesse cleaning his nose on his old clothes, that he was going to get rid of anyway. With difficulty, Jesse managed to put on a shirt, before pulling up his pants, while Fabrizio helped with his belt, and later, help him with his socks. He had no shoes, but fortunately, Fabrizio had brought him a pair from his room. Covered in dirt a little, he managed to shine them before leaving the hospital. Jesse waved and even kissed one of the nurse's hand before leaving.

"So, where to? Back to the house, or are we going to a restaurant?" Jesse asks, then he starts laughing. "Sono affamato!" He finally felt much better now.

"Vedrai." Fabrizio says, before getting in the driver's seat. Jesse got a confused look on his face, but quickly brushed it off.

They drove back to the house; the house he and his father stayed in numerous occasions during the Olympic and Lusitania's maiden voyage, the Mauretania's numerous voyages, and finally the Titanic's tragic maiden voyage. Jesse looks around. A large business looms in the distance, in front of the house. He looks at the house. A picket fence surrounds the dwelling, that he helped build with his father and his older brother-in-law, and a tree next to the house. The yard he and his nephew like to play in. His older brother Matthew, now living in SoHo, had bought it for Jessica and Jon, just a couple years prior, after they had moved from a rural territory called New Mexico, which had now become a state just a couple months in.

Jack and the family heard a car drive up in the driveway. Jack looks up from the newspaper, as he was trying to distract himself about Rose and Jesse for a time being. Jessica came from the kitchen, and little Jack continues to play with his toy soldiers and cars on the carpet. They heard the doors close to the car. Then footsteps as they went up the stairs leading to the porch, and soon the knob began to turn. Jack Dawson continues to look from the newspaper as Jessica goes to the door. Soon, Jack looks to the door. As if truly seeing an angel, standing there, was Jesse, in the flesh. Jack carelessly throws the newspapers, its contents spilling, as he runs to Jesse, arms outstretched, and tears in his eyes. They both embrace for a long while. Jack squeezes Jesse as hard as he can, tears in his eyes, for if he let's go, he might disappear again. They both cry for the first time since the sinking they had finally seen each other once more. Jack had thought his beautiful friend had gone down with the ship, from the suction, after he slid down the sloping deck. Jesse thought the same for his new friend, hoping Jack had made it to a lifeboat before he did.

Jack looks at Fabrizio, with tears still flowing. "Why didn't you tell me he was at the hospital?" he cried as he gives Fabrizio a playful punch on his shoulder, then he goes back to squeezing Jesse once more. Fabrizio has tears in his eyes as well as he shrugs at Jack.

Little Jack runs to his uncle, arms outstretched, and tears coming from his eyes. "Uncle Dessy!" he yells, clearly his uncle is home once more.

"Hey buddy!" Jesse picks up the kid, then hugs him once more. "It's so good to be back home once more." he says, between sniffles. Older Jack was overwhelmed that Jesse was alive, but he had also needed something to tend to; to help him find Rose, and to bring her back to him.

"I'm so glad she saved you to a lifeboat as well." Jesse says, between sobs. Jessica helps her brother to a seat, when Karl came from upstairs, tears in his eyes as well when he saw Jesse. They both embraced, Karl squeezing Jesse hard, just like Jack did earlier.

"I-I can't believe you came back. I though you died with the ship." Karl cried as he continued the embraces.

"Yeah. I'm here now." Jesse says, between sniffles, then made their way to a couch.

Jessica makes her way to the kitchen, while the four boys found their places in the living room. She heard laughter erupt from the room as she poured water into the tea kettle, then puts it on the stove. Despite the tragedy that had occurred, they managed to find happiness around them, and she was glad, they are all safe, and back with one another.

Just then she heard Jack asks. "Have any of you seen Rose?"

Jesse: "Quite possibly she might be back in Philadelphia. Still engaged to that mongrel."

Jack: "You don't mean..."

Jesse: "She might have been found alive on the account of the survivors' list on that rescue ship."

Jack: "We need to find her!" Followed by the sound of a fist hitting palm.

Jesse: "Ah, you're just in luck. Oddly enough, both my father and Eric works on behalf of the Hockley steel business up there. My father is one of those associates of Mr. Hockley's. Maybe we can catch the train and go from there."

Karl: "What about your father's original business?"

"Oh yes. That!" Jesse groaned, as his friends watched his slender body fall gracefully back into the couch, and buried his face in his hands, then rubbing his hands upward until he held his hair upward, from his face. He had forgotten about his business that was slowly failing, and the bank was threatening to take over his father's small business. He hadn't send any telegrams informing his colleagues he survived the sinking, as they probably thought he was among those who died as the news of the sinking made its way around the globe.

"Fine. First, I'll need to send the telegrams to my business, telling them I made it out of the sunken ship, then we'll find Rose." It was decided then and there that Jack wanted to go to Philadelphia, and he wanted to bring along Jesse with him as well, as Rose did back on the ship. Fabrizio and Karl decided to stay back and help around with the house chores and playing with little Jack, while Jack and Jesse got ready for the long train ride to Philadelphia, after he telegrammed Eric they will be arriving, which would be a month.

Later that evening, Jesse gave himself a little haircut in the bathroom, as Jack looked at him from the doorway, arms crossed, and his heart hammered in his ears. Jesse carefully pulled his hairs, measuring how much he needed to take off, then cuts them with scissors. Next, he takes his sister's hairclips and clips some of his bangs in place, and places extras in his mouth, as Jack finally gets to see Jesse's beautiful brown eyes, after those four days on the ship hiding under his hair. He continues to trim his hair in front of the mirror, its back slowly peeling from months of condensation and from the hot showers, and the glass was heavily scratched. Eventually, he worked the back of his head, until he got the proper length he wanted.

He washed his hair in the basin, to rinse out any remaining pieces of hair that might make him itch. He shook the excess water out of his hair, then letting it drip dry, as he patted his face with a towel, then turning out the light.

"Jack, you can have my bed tonight." Jesse says, shaking his wet hair once more, smiles, and disappears down the stairs again, as Jack's heart beats faster now.

...

May 31, 1912

The next morning Jesse slowly wakes up, as the sounds of the outside world began to move about. The house was quiet, save for occasional groaning coming from the upstairs room. He rubbed his eyes, then gave a big, but quiet yawn, then blinked a few times. He slowly got up from the floor, then stretched, before brushing his hair from his eyes as he slowly makes his way to the kitchen, where he washed in the sink, for he didn't want to wake anyone up. From there, he went to prepare breakfast.

Jack wakes up, following the rustling noises that came from downstairs. His heart began to hammer in his ears, as he thought Cal had finally followed him, and was looking for him and Jesse at last. He quickly got out of bed, then went into the closet, the only weapon he could find was a spare piece of pipe, then carefully goes down the stairs. With his weapon ready, Jack rounds the wall, only to see the beautiful sight of Jesse, who was sitting at the table, knife and fork in hand. His mouth hung open, and some pieces of his chewed breakfast fell out of there. Jesse swallowed nervously, as Jack lowered his arms.

"I-I'm so sorry…" Jack began, as Jesse cleaned up the mess, trying to process what is happening. "I thought you were…" Jesse looked up again, his hair completely covering one eye, the other pushed away, and gave him a small, dimpled smile. Soon, Jessica and Jon entered the kitchen, only to find Jack sobbing softy, and leaning against the door frame. He had almost killed his beautiful friend, thinking Cal had broken and entered their beautiful, cozy home. He had been edgy since he arrived at the house, and things were no better for Jack, even though he wanted Rose back, but he knew sooner or later, Cal would find them.