Chapter 18

July 5, 1914

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I walked up the path to the front door of the mansion, my heels clicking against the walkway. The doors opened for me immediately, and I gave the guards a quick smile before walking inside. "Welcome back, Mrs. Hockley," said the maid with a smile as she took my purse from me.

"Thank you." My eyes wandered around the house as I searched for Cal. I always wanted to see him, but today in particular I needed to talk to him. I needed to see him. "Have you seen my husband? Is he here?"

The maid nodded. "Yes, he is in his study," she told me. My heart skipped a beat knowing he was only a few rooms away. "I believe he is in a meeting."

I nodded nervously, my hands trembling as I held them behind my back. I took a deep breath as I started walking towards the wing of the mansion with Nathan's office, Cal's office, and the shared conference room. Most days, Nathan and Cal went to the factories or to their real office, but since I had been quite ill lately, Cal insisted on conducting his meetings from home.

I walked down the hallway and paced back and forth outside the door to the conference room, my heels clicking against the mahogany floorboards as I waited for his meeting to end. I heard the indistinct monotonous chatter of the businessmen through the door. A few moments later, there was a pause in the chatter before I distinctly heard Cal say, "Would you excuse me for a moment?" followed by the sound of his footsteps approaching the door.

He opened it and smiled at me, quietly closing it behind him. "How did you know I was out here?" I asked, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling myself closer to him.

"I can recognize your thoughtful heavy footsteps anywhere," he smiled, leaning down to kiss me. "What's bothering you, sweet pea?" He asked.

I smiled and shook my head. "Nothing's bothering me," I smiled. I had my hands on his shoulders, and I was staring into his eyes. He had no idea how much would change in the next few seconds, how happy he would be once I told him this. "Cal, darling… you're having a child."

Cal gasped and wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me off the ground. "Oh my god," Cal chuckled. I giggled while he held me in his arms. He finally placed me back on the ground, his smile possibly the largest I had ever seen it. "I'm having a son?"

I was so blinded by happiness that I failed to notice his assumption that the baby would be a boy instead of a girl. I simply smiled and nodded, letting him hold me in his embrace once more.

•••

January 5, 1921

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

It had been quite a while that Mia and I had been staying with Jack. We had fallen into a routine rather quickly, one that allowed Mia and I to spend the whole day together, every single day. On friday afternoons and weekends, Jack would be with us too, but during the week, I only got to see him in the morning, before he went to work, and after he returned around six o'clock.

Life was simple, easy. Every day offered endless opportunities, even whilst we were still stuck in the house. Every day was wonderful, and even if it wasn't, we wouldn't care. We still had each other at the end of the day.

My nerves had calmed significantly since the first time David and Bella showed up unannounced. Now, it was a few days later, and they were coming to the house again, this time for dinner. Jack was busy cooking while I was setting the table. "So… how did they end up together?" I asked.

Jack shrugged, looking down at the pot on the stove. "I'm not exactly sure," he answered. "When I got back here a few years ago, they were married. I didn't think David would move on… I wanted him to, though, and I'm sure my sister would've wanted him to be happy too."

I finished setting the table and wrapped my arms around Jack from behind, resting my head on the back of his shoulder. "I'm sorry," I whispered. He put his hand on top of mine, squeezing it gently.

Jack put down the spoon he was holding and turned around. He brushed a curl out of my face and smiled. "I love you," he whispered, leaning down and kissing me. I knew he was trying to change the topic, and I let him. "Don't be nervous about David and Bella."

I crossed my arms. "I'm not nervous!" Jack arched an eyebrow at me, and I released my arms. "Fine, alright, maybe I am a bit nervous." I put my arms around his neck and smiled. "They're your best friends, Jack. I want them to like me."

Jack wrapped his arms around my waist and sighed. "Do you know what David said to me the other day, after you went to check on Mia?" I shook my head. "He said that he could tell I was happier now than I have been in years." I smiled and looked down. "Things are complicated, but I love you, and David and Bella want me to be happy. That's all."

I smiled and kissed him. "Thank you."

"And besides," he smiled, touching my cheek and giving me a light kiss. "You and Mia can charm them in a second."

There was a knock at the door just as Mia came skipping down the stairs and over to me, holding onto my leg. "Hey," I touched her cheek, gently lifting her face to look at me. "It's okay. They're nice people." I could see Mia take a deep breath and nod, though she still held onto me.

I realized, just as I was encouraging her not to be nervous, that nausea had taken over me. I felt strange, suddenly, though I couldn't understand why. I didn't think it was about David and Bella. I swallowed hard and took deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves. It didn't work, and I just felt awful for hours.

I tried to hide it, not wanting to somehow bother him. I knew Jack couldn't be bothered by me, but I was so used to being bothersome to someone that I just couldn't accept the fact that things were different.

Dinner went very well. We exchanged awkward greetings before settling in the dining room to eat. Everything had gone smoothly, and my nerves quickly disappeared as we started talking. After dinner, Jack and David stayed in the kitchen to clean up while Bella and I moved to the living room. "I know we may have seemed… upset the other day. It's just that we were there when Jack lost his family, and then when he lost you, and then when he came back from the war. It's obvious just from spending a few hours with you that you make Jack happy."

I smiled and tried not to act like a silly young girl at the mention of the boy I liked. "I want you to know… I love Jack. I'm in love with him. You know… my husband never had any interest in Mia. He saw her as a burden, he resented her. And Jack… Jack doesn't treat her that way. He's kind to her, he treats her the way a child should be treated, and that means the world to me."

"Amelia's really beautiful, Rose," Bella smiled, and my heart warmed. I know, I wanted to say, but I didn't. "I want you to know, David and I are here for Jack, and now we're here for you both."

I smiled. "Thank you." A moment later, little footsteps approached us. I turned to see Mia walking over, and I lifted her onto my lap. "I thought you were asleep," I said quietly.

"I wanted you," Mia whispered as she squirmed into my arms and rested against me, cradled in my arms.

I held Mia close, remembering that there was a time that I couldn't hold her whenever I wanted to. I looked up at Bella. "Sorry," I said, realizing she must have thought it was rude for Mia to come skipping in all of a sudden and interrupt our conversation. "Things have really changed recently, and I'm worried about the way it's affecting her. And it feels like the only thing I can do to help her is hold her and tell her everything is okay."

Bella nodded. "I understand," she smiled down at Mia, who was asleep in my arms. "Neither of you deserve this. You deserve to be able to be with the person you love without being afraid all the time. And Amelia deserves to be safe and happy too."

I looked down at the sleeping little girl in my arms. "I wish I could keep her safer than this… her father is always going to be a threat, even though I wish he wasn't." I looked back up at Bella. "Have you and David ever thought about children?"

"We actually have one," Bella's eyes left Mia and looked back at me. "We have a son, Oliver, he's six. And he tests my patience every day," we both laughed. "I had to take care of him on my own during the war, and it was nearly impossible. I could never do what you're doing, Rose. I mean it."

"If Oliver was ever in a situation like that, where there were no other options… you would be able to," I spoke quietly so that I wouldn't wake Mia. "When I found Jack, I didn't know he was going to be here. I was bringing Mia to stay with a friend so that he couldn't hurt her anymore. I was on my way to give her up, to be tortured physically and emotionally without her there, just to keep her safe. That's what mothers do for their children." I smiled at Mia and touched her soft cheek. "I know you would've done the same for yours."

I saw Bella look down at Mia too as a soft smile played on her lips. "I guess you're right... I'd never really thought of it like that. Still, it doesn't change how brave you were to do all that you've done. I know many people who wouldn't have had the courage to do what you had to do to save Mia." She reached over and touched my arm as she moved to stand up, "I'm glad Jack has you."

•••

That night, I sat down at the vanity and began to brush through my curls as Jack wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his head on my shoulder. "See? I told you it wouldn't be so terrible."

I smiled, looking at him through the mirror. "No, it wasn't bad at all," I turned my head and kissed his cheek. "I like them a lot. Mia liked them too." I rested my head against Jack, feeling the nerves that I felt earlier arise again. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

Jack let go of me and rested against the vanity, facing me now. "Do you feel alright?" he asked, tucking a curl behind my ear and placing his hand against my cheek. "You don't seem like yourself."

I nodded, not wanting to worry him. "I just feel a bit unlike myself, I don't know," I gave him a quick kiss before taking his hand and dragging him to bed. "I'm sure I'll feel better in the morning." I smiled and leaned in, kissing him lovingly. I gripped his shoulder, looked into his eyes, and smiled. "I love you," I whispered.

Jack smiled and played with one of my curls. "I love you," he whispered back. He slowly moved closer, grazing his lips against mine before pulling away. He smiled, teasing me, and I grabbed him and almost got to him before-

"Mommy?"

I sighed as I slouched defeatedly. "I'll be back," I leaned forward and planted an innocent kiss on his lips. I let his fingers slip through mine as I left the room and went into Mia's. "You summoned me, miss?" I said cheerfully. Mia was laying in bed, holding tightly onto her stuffed bunny, the one Jack bought her. I stroked through her hair and smiled. "What's wrong?"

"I can't sleep," Mia said quietly, and she moved over in the bed to give me a spot to lay down. "Will you lay with me?" She looked up at me with her bright blue eyes, and I couldn't possibly say no even if I wanted to.

I was exhausted, barely able to stand, but I always wanted to spend time with Mia. I always wanted to have her little body laying on top of me, wrapped in my arms, her cheeks close enough to kiss. "Of course," I smiled. I sat on the edge of the bed, put my legs under the covers, and leaned back against the pillow. "Come here," I whispered, and Mia squirmed right on top of me and into my arms.

I remembered that when I was little, all I wanted to do when I was sick or tired was lay in my mother's arms. My mother was never around or interested in holding me, and I decided the first time I held Mia when she was born that I would do things differently. I would be there for her, to hold her and love her, not just because I had to but because I wanted to. "Mommy," Mia began. "How did you meet Jack?"

On cue, Jack appeared in the doorway and smiled sadly. I looked at him for a moment, seeing his cold, dying face in my mind and hearing him telling me to never let go echoing through my head. I squeezed my eyes shut, telling myself that he was alive, that as hard as that night was, we were both alright and together.

Before now, Titanic was even more painful, since I had the added pain of knowing that Jack had died because of me. I looked up at Jack, a tear leaving my eye as I saw the sadness in his. Jack walked in and sat down next to me on the bed. "Once upon a time," he began. "Mommy and I were traveling in Europe, and we both came back to America on a ship called the Titanic." He looked at me and gave a weak smile.

This could work, I realized. We didn't need to tell her about the sinking, or about Cal. We could turn it into a fairytale. "The ship was called the ship of dreams," I said quietly, looking up at him. "And it really was." To everyone else, I thought to myself.

"You met on the ship?" Mia asked.

I nodded, stroking her cheek. "We met on the ship, and we fell in love." Jack put his hand on my leg and squeezed it gently, comfortingly. "And now, here we are."

Mia's eyes were closed, and I was sure she was asleep. A moment later, however, Mia opened her eyes and stared at me. "Did you live happily ever after?" She asked.

I smiled and chuckled quietly. "Yes, we did." It was true. Ever since we met, everything we went through brought us closer together. Everything brought us closer and closer to having our happily ever after.

•••

January 6, 1921

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

The next morning, I decided to get out of bed even though my body felt like a million pounds. My head throbbed, and my stomach was tied in knots. My body was begging me to get back into bed, but I wouldn't listen. I continued to get myself up and out of bed, and downstairs to the couch.

When I reached the couch, I was sure I would faint. Everything was darker, and even Jack's voice echoed in my ears. I felt Jack's hand on my thigh and could make out just the sound of him saying my name. "Rose?"

I took his hand and squeezed it, my heart starting to relax once I felt his skin on mine. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting the darkness take over, and I opened them a second later. Jack was sitting next to me, holding a glass of water and a wet compress to my head. His eyes showed the fear he felt inside. "Are you alright?" He asked nervously. "You just fainted. You've been out…" he glanced at his watch. "Five minutes now."

"Mmm," was the only thing to escape my lips. I couldn't form any words, I was too nauseous. I was sure if I even opened my mouth, the nausea would take over. I squeezed Jack's hand and swallowed, trying to shove the feeling further down. "Just… not feeling well."

Jack smiled sadly. "Do you want me to take you back to bed?" He asked, and I shook my head weakly. "Can you take a sip of water?" I shook my head again. "Rose-"

"Fine," I took the water from him and took a sip. I looked at him and placed a hand against his cheek. "I'm fine, Jack. I promise." I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'm fine."

I wasn't fine, and Jack and I both knew. I placed a hand over my mouth and ran into the bathroom, emptying my stomach immediately. Jack came in behind me, scooping up my hair and holding it out of my face. When I was finished, I closed the lid and leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths. The fact that Jack witnessed that didn't disturb me or embarrass me, but I wanted to be sure I didn't disturb him. "Sorry," I whispered.

Jack handed me a glass of water, and I took a sip, closing my eyes. "Don't be sorry," he said quietly. "I'm worried about you." We were both sitting on the bathroom floor opposite each other. Jack had his hand on my calf, moving his thumb in nurturing circles. "Rose, what's going on? Did you just feel sick when you woke up?"

"I-I don't know," I said weakly. I leaned my head against the wall and closed my eyes. It was in that moment that I put everything together. The last time I felt like this, the nausea and vomiting and fainting, was when I was pregnant with Mia. My cycle was late. Jack and I hadn't been careful, since I was told that it was impossible for me to conceive another child. "Jack, I know what this is…"

"What, what is it?" He leaned closer, placing a hand against my cheek. I took his hand, squeezing it tightly.

I took a deep breath and sighed. "I think…" I paused nervously, closing my eyes and opening them again. "Jack… I think I'm pregnant."

A/N: I got a few reviews suggesting that Jack and Rose have another child. This has been my plan since the beginning of the story, but I loved seeing some predictions of what would happen! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!