When Jack returned home with Rose and Ruth in tow, Weaver Dawson was in the sitting room, reading the evening's newspaper. He looked up, his eyes widening in surprise to see Ruth and Rose. He got up, placing the paper on the table.
"We have company," He smiled, his eyes on Ruth. It was obvious that he was attracted to the woman. She was beautiful and the first class coldness made her a challenge that he was all too eager to tackle.
Jack nodded, looking around to make sure that Lisa was not in earshot. She had made her dislike of Rose known and was sure to make his wife feel uncomfortable. To be honest,he wanted Rose to feel comfortable and wanted wherever he was. She was Cora's mother after all, and despite everything, he still was in love with her. He couldn't help it, his love for Rose was just a part of him. He couldn't stop loving her, just like he couldn't stop breathing. That didn't mean he was ready to return to the way things were, but it was just a fact that he couldn't ignore, no matter how much he wanted to. Lisa would just have to deal. Funny how he knew that his Uncle wouldn't mind. He had noticed the older man's interest in Rose's mother.
"Yes. Molly had to return to Denver, so I asked Rose and her mother to stay here. That way they have a place to stay and have full access to Cora and it will make it easier for Cora to bond with Rose."
"Well, may I be the first to say welcome home ladies. I hope that you enjoy it here with us gentlemen...and lady if you count my daughter," Weaver chuckled good-naturedly, reminding Rose of Jack somewhat.
Jack could kiss his Uncle at that point. He had an ally in Weaver when it came to Rose. "Where is Lisa?"
"At the market with Barb. I should go and let her to know to buy extra now that there's six of us instead of four,"Weaver winked, heading for the door.
"Thank you," Jack sighed in relief, knowing what his Uncle was doing. He was going to take all of Lisa's anger onto himself, sparing Jack. At least that was what Jack took from it. Weaver just winked and went out the door, leaving Jack with the two women and the baby. "Okay, follow me. I'll show you to your room."
Silently, Rose, who was carrying Cora while Jack handled their bags, and Ruth followed Jack up to the second floor where he lead them to the bedroom right across from their own. He opened the door to reveal a nice size room with two twin beds inside. There was a dresser up against the right wall and a closet right next to it. Rose thought the room was nice while Ruth found herself missing the luxerious suites that she was used to.
"I know, it's not much...but you two can decorate it however you want," Jack carried their bags inside and set them right next to the dresser.
Rose stood there, unable to keep herself from thinking about the room across the hall. The one with the big bed with pillows and blankets that contained Jack's scent...a scent that made her feel safe and secure. She remembered waking up there and how Jack had sat by her side and talked to her and how soft his gaze was when he looked at her. Would she ever return to that room?
"Rose? Are you okay?" Jack's voice cut through her thoughts. She had gone silent and he wondered if maybe she was unhappy about something.
Blushing, she smiled. "I'm fine, Jack. I was just remembering the other day...when I fainted..."
Jack looked at her wonderingly. What was she remembering of that day? He remembered carrying her and having her in his bed. How that night he couldn't sleep, because his pillow smelled of her perfume. It had brought back bittersweet memories and made it even more impossible to keep his walls up. Walls that seemed to be crumbling right now, as she silently walked up to him and placed a slender hand at the base of his neck, where his hairline started. Her hands slid up and slid along the soft strands of his hair.
"Your hair...it's so silky...," she sighed, closing her eyes as she felt his breath against her face.
He swallowed, noticing how close he was. A few more steps and he could kiss her. "You always liked playing with my hair. I never understood it."
"Daddy!" Cora chirpped excitedly, holding her arms out to Jack, who blinked a bit startled, the spell broken. He chuckled and let Rose slip her into his arms.
"What is it, Cora bear?" He cuddled the child, kissing her blond curls.
"Me sleepy!"
"Perhaps you and Rose should put her to bed together. I'll unpack our things," Ruth offered, wanting to give Rose some alone time with Jack and Cora. See if they'll bond as a family unit. She was positive that the more time Rose and Jack spent together and with the child, the sooner they'll return to being a loving married couple.
"Want to join me?" Jack looked at Rose.
"I'd love to," She smiled. She looked at her mother, feeling guilty for leaving all the unpacking to her. "Will you be alright, mother?"
"I will be fine. Now go. See your daughter to bed and spend time with your husband," Ruth shooed her away, not wanting to discuss the matter.
Rose simply nodded and followed Jack out into the hall.
"Well, that was weird," Jack chuckled. "There was once a time when us spending time together alone was that woman's worse nightmare."
Rose simply shrugged. She had no idea what Ruth had been like in the past. She was sure that the memories would return, but at that moment, they were still as lost as everything else. "Molly said that she had changed. It makes me wonder what she was really like. Was she really that bad? I'd think that if she was, you wouldn't let her near Cora."
Jack sighed as he lead the way into the nursery. "If she wasn't Cora's only living grandmother...I don't know if I would have been so welcoming. But she is and Cora could use all the family that she can get. I do agree with Molly, though. She does seemed to have changed. She's not the same Ruth I had met on Titanic."
"Jack! Jack Dawson, we need to talk!" Lisa's voice floated upstairs, sounding rather annoyed.
Jack winced at the tinge of anger he heard in her voice. He had a feeling that Uncle Weaver was not able to calm her down. "I better go see what she wants. You know the way to the nursery, right?" He slipped a yawning Cora into Rose's arms, who eyes widened in alarm.
"You want me to put her down? By myself?" She tried not to panic. After all, this was what she was here for, to build her bond with Cora. This was one of the ways, but she had been certain that Jack would be with her.
"Of course. You'll do fine. She's already halfway asleep. Just put her in bed, talk to her until she drifts off and you're done."
Rose was still unsure of herself, but Jack seemed to have faith in her when it came to Cora and she didn't want to prove him wrong,so she simply nodded with a tight smile. "Alright..."
Jack gave her a reassuring smile and placed a gentle hand on her cheek. "You'll do fine. I'll be back up in a minute."
Rose blushed, inwardly relishing the touch of his hand, so warm and gentle, and the look in his eyes...
"Okay," She nodded. She watched him go. She already missed his presence. Not for the first time, she wondered how she had ever managed to forget Jack Dawson. He seemed to be the kind of man that a woman would never forget. Not in a million years.
Shaking the lust filled thoughts out of her head, she continued on to the nursery, where she placed Cora into her bed and smiled as the child laid down, clearly exhausted from the day.
"Yes, it has been a busy day with mommy and daddy hasn't it? I promise, there will be a lot more days for the three of us. I am never going to leave you again. I don't even know how it happened the first time," Rose sighed wistfully. "I'd do anything to get that time back with you and daddy. I'd do anything for it never to have happened at all. When he looks at me...I see what could have been. Those lonely two years...they wouldn't have been lonely at all. I would have had you two..."
Watching her daughter, Rose realized that she had missed so much, from Cora's first steps, to her first words and everything in between. So many firsts that will never happen again. Firsts that had been stolen from her by her own failing mind. Hot tears welled up as she thought about all that had happened without her. Why? Why had it happened? Why did she lose her memory when she had every reason not to? It killed her that she didn't have those moments with Cora and that her relationship with Jack was in pieces now. Yes, it could be put back together, but there would still be missing pieces. Things that she'll never be privy to and who knows if Jack will ever really trust her again, even if he did take her back. Sniffling, she watched as Cora drifted to sleep and then turned away, unable to stop the flow of tears.
Jack came back up five minutes later, after letting an irate Lisa know that this was his parents house and that Rose was welcomed there whether they were together or not, just by the sheer fact that she was Cora's mother. His tone had booked no argument and he hadn't waited for a response. So he was shocked to return to the second floor to find Rose standing next to a sleeping Cora's bed, in tears. He frowned, wondering if she had heard any of the argument from downstairs.
"Rose?" He slowly entered the room, reminiscent of the way he had approached her when they had first met and he had been terrified that she would jump off the back of the ship. "Rose, what's wrong? What happened?"
Rose turned around to look at Jack, embarrassed to be caught crying over what couldn't be changed. "I was just talking to her and...it struck me that...I had missed her first steps...her first word...and so many other firsts that I will never be able to get back!"
Jack walked up to her, his heart breaking for Rose. This had been hard on him, but it had really been hard on Rose. He had no idea what she must be going through, finding out that she had a family, a child, and that there were parts of that child's life that she had missed out on and will never be able to get back.
He placed a gentle and on her shoulder and wiped away her tears with the other. "I can't imagine what you must be going through right now. It must be devastating."
She simply nodded, afraid to move or speak, afraid she'd scare him off somehow. He was so close right now...and being so gentle. She was seeing the Jack that she had fallen in love with on Titanic, the one that had been compassionate enough to talk her out of jumping off the back of the ship. She didn't want to do anything to break the moment.
"I can't tell you that you haven't missed it all, because you have. But, I can tell you that it's not completely hopeless. I was here and I can tell you all about it...I can even show you."
Rose sniffed and looked up into those blue eyes, letting them fill her world. "How?"
"Well, I am an artist. I can draw it for you, if you like. Capture the moments on paper and tell you about each one. Would you like that?"
Rose stared at Jack, amazed that he would do so much work for her. "You'd do that for me?"
"Of course! It involves two things I love. Drawing and Cora." Three, if he was counting. Drawing, Cora, and the woman he was doing it for, Rose.
She smiled through her tears, feeling them dry already. "I really would like that. Thank you."
"Anytime. If you ever need anything, Rose don't be afraid to come ask me. I'll help you in any way I can."
Overcome with emotion, she wanted to not only thank him, but to tell him just how much he meant to her, how much she loved him. How she thought of him all the time and when she thought of the future, she could only see him and their daughter. That he was the reason why she wanted her memory back, because no matter how horrific they may have been, there were good ones too...good ones that revolved around him and she wanted them back desperately.
"Well, Cora's asleep for a while. I say that you go get settled yourself and I'll get started on those sketches," He winked, taking a step back, realizing just how close they were standing.
"Okay...thank you Jack...for everything. The picnic, taking mother and I in...this time with Cora and now your offer to draw her first words and steps...you've been so good to me. You've probably always been good to me. You've given me more than I deserve...and I can't even repay you..."
"You already have. You gave me Cora and she's...she's been everything. She's proof of just how amazing our time together was."
"I want to remember it, Jack."
"You will. And if you don't, that's okay too. We'll make new memories. Even better ones."
Rose's eyes almost widened at that part. Was that hope he was giving her? Was that him telling her that he was going to take her back? She didn't want to assume, so she kept the question to herself, but she allowed her heart to soar. Going by Jack's words, she was closer to getting him back than she could ever dream.
And perhaps she was. Jack was pretty much over denying his feelings for his beautiful wife. All the fear and reluctance he had felt was quickly fading away. With her living under the same roof now, it was only a matter of time.