Chapter 70

January 13, 1913

Their bodies were pressed together, as they kiss passionately in the back seat of the Renault. Rose's hand goes up to the window, in the middle of their heated passion, as they kissed deeply. Jack had his jacket on top of them, as both of their hearts beat wildly, and they want more of each other. They eventually lay against each other, as they take a break and rest for a moment.

"You're trembling." Rose whispers.

"I'm okay." Jack says, as he lowers his head on Rose's chest. His hair matted from the passionate sweating bliss. "I can hear your heart beating."

Rose suddenly notices the temperature in the car dropping, and she could see their breaths. She began to shiver, as she tries to get closer to Jack, but he was too cold. The lights suddenly go out, and to her horror, she sees giant waves of water crashing towards them. The car is knocked over on its side, as it throws around its treasured possessions inside. The glass shatters, sending in a rush of cold salty water against the couple as they tried to seek refuge from the rising water, but none could be found. Their naked bodies begin to freeze from the sudden shock of cold water, and the water begins to mix with their blood.

"Rose!" was all she could hear, but could not make where the sound was coming from. They try, even though their bodies were in shock from the cold water hitting them, even as they try to put their clothes back on. To their horror, the car slips through the gaping hull of the ship, and at the same time the ship makes horrible noises of metal tearing, sounds of thunder as the ship tears itself in two. The car slowly sinks, as Jack tries to fight his way out of the thing, and Rose trying desperately to follow him.

Eventually, they make it out, and the car disappears in the dark abyss, but the ship wasn't done with them just yet. The stern implodes, then it began to sink faster, as it tries to take Jack down with it. Jack desperately tries to get ahold of Rose, but he loses her, as he fights the suction generated from the stern's sudden implosion, now free falling faster into the depths of the Atlantic. Rose shuts her eyes, as her body is completely numb from the shock of the cold, and the cuts from trying to escape from the mangled car and ship.

When she does opens her eyes, she sees people all around her, in desperate screams and cries of souls trying to survive the bitter cold of the Atlantic, in the dangerously frigid night of being completely exposed to the elements now. Rose tries to call for Jack, but he was nowhere to be found. A man suddenly pushes her under, as he struggles to stay afloat, and uses Rose as if she was his floatation device.

"Get off her! Get off her!" Jack suddenly appears, before punching out the man a couple of times. He holds on to Rose.

"Swim, Rose! I need you to swim." Jack pleads, while Rose tries her best to hang onto Jack's cold, wet hands. Finally, what seemed like forever, they swam to a floating piece of wreckage, where he puts Rose on it first, with slight difficulty, then he tried to climb on, but ended up nearly swamping them, so he's in the water. Jack looks around, at people still wailing and crying, knowing fate will claim him, the same way its claiming all these people.

As the cries for help began to subside, both Jack and Rose cling to each other, and Jack is barely conscious. This is about the time a rescue boat came, as the sounds of someone yelling if anyone around them were alive. The sounds of the water were lapping at the couple, as Rose makes her pleas to wake up Jack.

"Jack!" Rose tries to shake Jack awake. "Jack, please."

Jack doesn't respond, and she knew the worst, as her heart began to sink. The boats came and went, and Jack dies from the exposure and hypothermia. He's become cold, pale, and very lifeless. She tries to cry, as she will no longer see those blue eyes, hear his wonderful laugh, but the pain of losing him is too much for her. Rose tries to let go of the frozen grip, instead it disturbs Jack's frozen, lifeless body, and he slowly sinks into the darkness.

"I'll never let go…" she sadly kisses his hand, then let's go, as he disappears beneath the surface.

...

Rose's eyes flung open. She's breathing very hard now and was sweating from the ordeal. Once she was able to calm down she slowly turns to her side, and her heart soars in happiness. Beside her Jack was sleeping peacefully and soundlessly, who looked warm and snuggly under the covers. She also realizes she had been crying, as her hands slowly goes to her eyes and began rubbing them. The covers around them have been rumpled and despite what has happened, Jack had somehow remained asleep throughout the ordeal.

That dream felt so real, like it had happened just recently, even though the month of January was almost over, and they had just entered the new year, and along with it the anniversary of the sinking was fast approaching. Rose couldn't sleep anymore, and with difficulty she slowly creeps over the side of the bed, careful now as to unharm her child. She uses the nightstand by the bed to lift herself, and slowly trudges to the door, all the while Jack still remained peacefully asleep.

Jessica is awakened to the sounds of someone shuffling about around the house, and she tries to shake her husband awake.

"Honey, I think someone is in our home." Jon moans, as he tries to turn over on his side of the bed.

"Its probably Jack going to the bathroom," Jon says groggily about their son, and not of their guests, then mumbled incoherently as he tried to go back to sleep. Jessica continually shakes her husband again, until he groggily wakes up. He sits up, then yawns, as he tries to get his eyes to adjust for the complete darkness. He blindly goes to the closet to look for a blunt object, then carefully makes his way to the bedroom entrance. Slowly he makes his way to the stairs, not before checking in on his son, who was still sleeping peacefully in his bed. A dim light soon awashes the hallway, where it came from the downstairs. Jon readies his object, then slowly proceeds down the stairs. He could hear bottles and glasses being rattled as he cautiously approaches the kitchen. He slowly rounds the wall, until he is shocked to see Rose, sitting at the table, as she was pouring herself a glass of milk. Turning red with embarrassment, Jon lowers his stick.

"Rose… I-I" Jon stammers, as Rose looks up, and slowly pushes her disheveled red curls away from her face. Jessica soon follows.

"What's going on? Were you going to hit her with that?" Jessica asks, with a little surprised expression on her face, as she sees something in her husband's hand. Jon turned even redder.

"No, but you said there's someone poking around…and I thought-boy, is my face red tonight-" Jon stammers more, before managing an awkward chuckle. There was a moment of awkward silence, as the minutes ticked on. Rose begins to chuckle, then everyone laughed at how everyone was caught up in the silliness. Rose forgave Jon, and apologized that she frightened everyone. Jon went back to bed, while Jessica stayed down. She warmed up Rose's milk, as she sat there, hands cupped in front of her. She felt if she was caught in a déjà vu once more.

"Can't sleep, huh?" Jessica asks. Rose shakes her head.

"Which part of the journey did you dream about?" Rose looks up, surprised she had asked her that. She answers back, and as she does she turns red.

"Jack and I were in the cargo hold-"

"And made love." Rose looks up, as she turns even more redder. Jessica pointed to Rose's bulging stomach, and smiled. "It's been a little over nine months now since you two showed gratitude to each other. Now you are going to do the same for your child. By the way, have you thought about names?"

"Well, we were thinking of Cora or Josephine for a girl, or Tommy or even like your brother Jesse for a boy, but we haven't had something to go by." Rose sighs, as she sits back in her chair once more. Jessica hands her the warm milk, and Rose sips, careful she didn't burn her tongue this time. They sat in silence, until the sun began to rise over the building in front of their house. Ruth was first to come down from her room, and was soon greeted by Jessica and Rose sitting at the table. She makes her way back to the living room, pulling out something from the bookshelf, then goes back to the kitchen.

Ruth sits down, and that something she pulled from the bookshelf was a bridal magazine, which she promptly opened in front of the two women. Rose began to roll her eyes once more, like she did back at the farm house. She couldn't believe her mother had brought the things from the farm house, after she thought she had hidden them completely.

"Now, Rose. I think this dress would look very lovely on you." says Ruth, as she began to flip through the pages of the magazine. This was one of the reasons Rose ran away from; the constant planning with Cal, her mother's opinions, but of course she was to be thrust to a man she would never get any love from. Even in the current life they were living in Ruth kept insisting that the dresses should be the fanciest, and of course, the most expensive she could ever buy. Jessica rolls her eyes, and Rose notices her immediate disgust, as she cracks a small smile. Soon Ruth stops flipping the magazine, then points to a large, frilly, and possibly the most expensive-looking dress that she laid her eyes on. All Rose wanted was just a simple wedding plan, just like Jesse and Marion's, and small number of guests. Even what family she has was just fine for her, as she wanted nothing extravagant, but her mother still wasn't having any of it.

"Mother, it's too frilly. That will make my shoulders look big, and it's much too expensive."

"Now Rose. This is your wedding day we're talking about. You should be beautiful."

"She will be beautiful, Mrs. Bukater. It's just that it should be something that she picks." Jessica insists.

"I'm just saying the wedding is the most important day of a woman's life and that she should be as beautiful as she can."

"Mother, there's more to life than just a simple wedding." Rose pats her baby bump. "I think the birth of the child is way more important than just a fancy party that comes with a cake at the end."

Jon comes down the stairs once more, as he puts on a jacket. He enters the kitchen, then grabs a simple snack from the cupboard.

"Bye honey. See you tonight." he says, before kissing Jessica and leaving for work. Rose tried to imagine Jack, getting ready every morning for work, kissing her and their child, then leaving the house in a whim. She heard the car start outside, then puttering before a backfiring was heard. The car started again, finally leaving the house. Meanwhile Jack slowly came down the stairs, rubbing his eyes and yawned, while he was holding onto a small teddy bear by its arm. He arrived in the kitchen, then places the bear on the table, before he climbed onto the chair himself.

"Morning, Mommy." Jack yawned once more, though he looked a bit more sleepy, clearly awaken from the commotion, and his father's car.

"Morning honey. Your juice is right here." Jessica points to a small glass on the sink counter, while she washes her hands, to prepare the morning breakfast.

"Have you thought about where to put your son in an educational institution?" Ruth asked, watching the tot carefully balance the juice on the table with both hands, next to his small bear, then he carefully sat up in his chair again, while Rose glared at her mother. Ruth didn't take notice, as she was still watching the young tot.

"We have, possibly in a school here in New York. My husband can pay for his education, and at the same time he can be close to home." Jessica says, though she clearly could tell Jack wanted to be with his uncle, but she didn't want to put him in that boarding school again, ever.

"I don't want to intrude about where you should take you boy, but you should take him to Philadelphia." Ruth sighed, but that's the only place she could think of for a quality education, especially for young Jack's age.

"There's a nice school there; my late husband attended this prestigious boarding school when he was younger. He can go there, if he'd like to. I don't think Mr. Hockley will recognize him in any way. I know the headmaster there, and I'm sure he'll help you both in any way he can, considering its a costly school to attend." she assured the nervous mother. Jessica gave it a long thought, then looked over at her young son. Jack had finished his juice, then places the glass on the table, with both hands again, then grabbed his bear to play in the living room. Jessica gave it more consideration, then decided to talk to her husband when he came home from work later that evening.

During the next week or so Jack, Rose, Ruth and Jessica all sat in the living room as they ponder over the wedding plans; who to invite, what to have for reception, where to have dinner; all in reminiscence of Jesse and Marion's wedding plans. Long-distance plans for these early Edison-era telephones were not cheap, but despite that, Jessica called the hotel back in her former hometown to send a message to her father. She sometimes wished her father's house had a telephone line, but she knew her father would be against it, as he was a stubborn man himself, and she knew he hated to spend big money. She had also hoped Marion's dress was still in decent shape since Jesse's kidnapping, but Ruth insists they should keep shopping for new dresses, to have the cake tasting done, where to have the food prepped, and for Jack, looking for tuxedoes, and getting himself presentable. Meanwhile Jack wanted what Jesse had been wearing before, but it was badly beaten from Cal's tortures, and Jesse got rid of it as soon as he changed out of it. And from the looks of it, it would be a little bit small for Jack, as Jesse had a thinner frame.

…

While they were at the house, flipping through magazines, Rose felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She began to sit in a chair when she felt the contractions in her abdomen. Jack came in from the stairs, as he awaited breakfast. He was greeted by Rose's smile.

"It's time." she says. Jack looks at her, then he started crying. He hugged Rose, while Jessica frantically searched the bathroom for anything to use while Rose was transported to the hospital. Jon got the car ready, then he and Jack slowly and carefully helped Rose down the porch and into the car. Jack comforted her throughout the trip, while Jessica also got in with Jon, leaving Ruth and little Jack back at the house.

At St. Vincent's Hospital, a nurse brings out a wheelchair for Rose, and Jack is told to stay back as she is wheeled into a room. Jack kisses her before she and the nurse disappears in the hospital. A doctor comes out, and instantly recognizes Jack.

"My miracle patient!" he shakes Jack's hand, then congratulated him that his 'wife' is pregnant with his child. Jack was ready to confront the doctor, but Jon and Jessica gave him a look that things must remain where they were, as for now Jack and Rose were married, until they can get it done legally.

January 27, 1913

Later that evening Rose had given birth to a healthy baby boy, while Jack had tears pouring from his eyes. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. The pains of the labor, and carrying this baby for a little over nine months since Titanic was rewarding. Rose was in the bed, and Jack sitting in the chair, as the baby cooed and cried softly. Soon, Jon and Jessica were allowed to come into the room to view Rose's beautiful baby boy, who looked exactly like his father; blond hair, blue eyes. Both Jack and Rose decided a name; Tommy Dawson. Jon earlier had gone back to the house to bring back Ruth and his son down to the hospital. Ruth was overjoyed that she was now a grandmother, while Jack cried and wished his parents were alive to witness this moment in his life.

"They're watching from above." Jon assures Jack, as he cried on Jon's shoulders. "And they're proud of you. They've watched their young son grow into a handsome young man he has become in front of them. No matter where you are, where you go on your journeys, your parents wlll alway be there, watching out for you, everywhere you go." Jack hugs Jon, then Jessica gives Jack a big congratulatory hug as well, then going over to Rose, who was clearly tired from the ordeal, but nonetheless, she was very happy.

Things were finally looking up for the Dawson/Williams/Almstead and Bukater family, as they had welcomed a human into this world, from tragedy to happiness.