Yeah, I never know when updates are gonna be either, to be honest. I don't own Titanic or the Heart of the Ocean, BUT you can get a replica of the necklace on Amazon. Fun fact. Anyways, enjoy! And thank you for the LOVELY reviews!

Of Love and Luck

I pulled my robe closer about my waist as I drew back the threadbare curtains to look up and down the street below. Nothing. No sign of Jack yet and I was beginning to worry. Checking the pocket watch he'd left on the chest of drawers, it'd now been going on three hours since he'd left to try and sell the Heart of the Ocean at the jewelers a few blocks away. Jack was desperate for us to move out of the city before the baby was born. The money from the diamond would help, and it would also help make rent until we did. I'm not sure if he knew quite how much it was truly worth though. I wasn't even sure if I did.

Just as I went to get dressed to go search for him, I heard the front door to our two room apartment open, followed by my Jack making his way to the bedroom. With a sigh of relief, I crossed the floor to meet him, but stopped short when I saw him leaning heavily against the doorway.

"Rose…" Jack croaked, wincing as he did. There was blood on his shirt, his face, and matted in his beautiful blonde hair. His left eye was near to swollen shut. I hurried to his side, allowing him to slip an arm around my shoulders as I helped him to bed. He gingerly perched himself on the edge of the mattress while I knelt to ease off his boots.

"My love, what happened? Who did this to you?"

"Don't know," he groaned, arm wrapped around his chest, clutching his side with a bruised hand. "Got jumped by two guys on my way back from the store."

"Oh Jack," I said, my voice trembling with tears I dared not yet shed. "I'm so sorry." I stood and pressed a kiss to his handsome face among the cuts and bruises. Fetching a cloth and filling the basin with water, I began cleaning his face, gently removing the dried and fresh blood. "We should report this," I fumed, my stomach churning with the thought of someone doing this to my Jack. "They should not get away with this."

"They won't," he hissed, muscles straining as he fought the urge to move away from the stinging cloth.

I felt the corners of my mouth pull down in a way that could not have been very attractive, though Jack had once told me I was cute when I'd pout. "How do you know?"

Despite his split lip, he smirked, "I cut my teeth in neighborhoods like these, Rose. There were only two and I guess I put up a pretty good fight, cause after a while they took off. Think I got the worst of it though."

"Yes, I'd say you did," I sighed. Finished with his face, I helped him off with his shirt. He cringed, then cried out when he raised his arms so I could lift the stained material over his head. He dropped his head, clutching his side again as he tried to breathe through the pain. I bit my lip so hard I nearly drew my own blood when I saw the dark purple bruise stretching along his left side and dancing across his chest. "Rose," he gasped suddenly, "room's spinnin'…"

I moved quickly to help him lie back on the bed. He had his eyes pinched tightly closed. I brushed the hair off his forehead, careful of the cut there. "Let's get you into something more comfortable, then you can rest, alright?"

He nodded and I helped him change into a clean nightshirt. Quite simply, he was exhausted, and little wonder. His eyes could scarcely stay open as I gathered his muddied and blood stained clothes to put them in the wash basket. As I did, something fell and clattered to the floor. My jaw dropped when I looked down to find the Heart of the Ocean at my feet. "Jack, what…" I gasped in disbelief, the sparkling necklace resting in the palm of my hand.

"Couldn't sell it," he whispered from the bed, a sleepy smile on his face as he fought the exhaustion that threatened to claim him with every breath. "There's too much… too much connected to it. It's us, Rose… it's us."

He was asleep before I could respond.

Tears burned my eyes as I closed my fingers around the jewel. Because yes, we had been through far too much. But I, for one, was much better for it. This necklace was a reminder of that. A reminder of all we'd survived. We didn't need the money. We had a decent amount saved. It wouldn't be much longer before we could move out of the city. Perhaps not before the baby was born, but that would be alright. Jack and I would be fine.

Wiping my tears, I tucked the necklace away. Removing my robe, I lay down beside my husband, mindful of his injuries. "We're going to be just fine. All three of us. Like you've always said, we'll make our own luck," I whispered, gently running my fingers through his hair. "Sleep sweet, my love. All is well."