Okay, a long overdue update is here! There's not a lot happening here, I'm just kind of setting up for the next chapter. Enjoy.
The reunion between Rose, Jack, Tommy and Fabrizio was a joyous one. They hugged each other; Tommy and Fabrizio both kissed Rose on the cheek. The mood was dimmed however, by the loss of Fabrizio's friend Helga. He explained that her father had forbidden her to go with him to the lifeboats. Jack and Rose offered their condolences, and Fabrizio assured them that he was alright.
"I was blessed to meet her," Fabrizio said. "We were not destiny," he said sadly.
"Perhaps in the next life," Rose said. Fabrizio smiled softly.
"Si. Perhaps." Rose hugged him again. She didn't envy the pain he was experiencing, but she counted her blessings, knowing that either her or Jack could be in Fabrizio's shoes. "I be okay," Fabrizio assured them all.
"Have you eaten yet, boyo?" Tommy asked Jack and Rose.
"No, we just got here. Have you?"
Tommy and Fabri shook their heads.
"Well shall we?" Rose asked. "I'm eating for two, you know," she said to Jack.
Tommy and Fabrizio both gasped in surprise. Rose giggled. Jack smiled proudly. "Let's get some food and we'll fill you in," he said.
The four of them made their way to the line of Titanic survivors. They were handed plates with a generous serving of food. Rose's stomach growled as the smell of ham and eggs hit her nose.
"Do you want milk or water Rose?"
"Water for now please," she said. She hoped to see lemon slices, but there were none. There was fresh fruit in a bowl at the end of the table, and Rose settled for an orange instead. Once they settled at a table, Rose used a knife to cut up the orange and dropped two slices in her water.
"So angels did fly out of your arse," Tommy said.
Fabrizio and Jack chuckled. Rose raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"When I first saw you up on the first class deck, I froze in place. Tommy told me that I had a better chance of angels flying out of my ass than getting next to you." Jack reached for his glass of water.
Rose burst out in giggles. "Did you tell him that the angels had already flown out of your ass?"
Jack promptly choked on his water, not expecting that response.
"I thought it, but I didn't say that," he said, catching his breath.
"I figured it out when you came down to third class to see Jack," Tommy added. "So you're expecting a wee one?"
Rose felt her face warm as she smiled. "We are."
As they ate, Jack and Rose took turns telling their friends everything. They began with their meeting in Rome and the affair that began just days later. Rose told of her own heartbreak that occurred when Cal had showed up to take her and her mother to London. Jack shared the story of his sorrow and his decision to go back to the States. They told about how they met again at the stern of Titanic and how Cal found them together there. Rose went on to tell them how she began to feel sick soon after embarking the ship and that she realized that she might be pregnant. Jack told them how excited he was to be a father.
They then went on to tell them everything else, from Rose discovering the truth of her father's death and her subsequent marriage. Rose told them that she had asked Jack to draw her nude and how she left the drawing, note and her wedding band in Cal's safe for him to find. Jack told them that Cal had him arrested for kidnapping Rose and how Rose had saved him when he had been handcuffed to a pipe.
Finally, they told Tommy and Fabrizio that they had gotten to a boat, but not before Cal overhearing that Rose was pregnant.
"We got to a lifeboat before he did," Rose said. "But not before he tried to shoot us. He almost ended up on the lifeboat as well, but Jack told the officer that Cal had been shooting at us and he didn't allow Cal to get on the boat."
Tommy let out a low whistle. "Did he end up on another boat?"
Rose shook her head. "No. He's dead. My mother found me this morning to tell me that. She tried to get me to come back with her, but I refused. She only wanted me to come back so she could live off whatever money Cal left me in his will. I told her that according to the will, she would be provided for in the event that both Cal and I died, she left. As far as anyone is concerned, Rose Hockley died with the Titanic."
"You pretend that you died?" Fabrizio asked.
Rose shrugged. "More or less. I'm free to be with Jack now, and that's all that matters." Rose laid her head on Jack's shoulder. Jack kissed the top of her head.
"How did you survive?" Jack asked them.
Tommy finished the last of his ham and pushed the plate away. "We managed to get on the last lifeboat that was launched. At that point, it was every man for himself."
"E 'stato molto spaventoso," Fabrizio said, saying that it was frightening. "Women, children, they all scream for-a help. They scream to be saved."
Rose nodded. "It was awful to listen to the screaming while in the lifeboat. It was worse when the screaming grew quiet and then there was nothing."
"I wonder how the White Star Line is going to handle all of this," Jack wondered out loud.
"I guess we'll find out," Rose responded. She pushed her plate away and stood up. She raised her arms above her head and stretched out her sore body. "I think I'd like to take a walk. Do you want to join us?"
…
The walk was brief. The ship had begun to sail through some inclement weather. A white fog rolled out in front of them no matter which way they turned. It was so thick that Rose could barely see the water when she looked over the railing. Soon after the group began to walk, it began to mist. The drops were tiny but abundant and they all felt chilled within moments. They retreated back to the dining hall as quickly as they could.
"Bloody cold out there!" Tommy exclaimed. He blew into his cupped hands, attempting to warm them up. Rose shivered and Jack wrapped his arm around her.
"You okay?" he asked. Rose nodded.
"I'm fine. I promise," she told him. Jack opened his mouth to ask again, but Rose raised her eyebrow, telling him not to worry so much. Jack smiled and kissed her forehead.
"Where are you two sleeping?" Tommy asked.
"We were in the infirmary. They allowed us to stay there because I'm pregnant," Rose said.
"Without being married?" Fabrizio asked.
"They don't know that," Jack said with a smile. "It would cause a scandal," he cried in mock horror. Rose laughed.
The four of them walked through the corridors of the ship for a while. They talked more about themselves and shared their dreams that they planned to chase when they got to America. None of them were quite sure what they wanted for themselves except for happiness and freedom.
Suddenly, Jack had an idea. "Rose, can I talk to you for a second?" Rose nodded and Jack led her to a quiet corner. He quickly explained his idea and Rose smiled.
"I was actually thinking the same thing," she told him. "Come on, let's go ask them." She grabbed his hand and dragged him back to where Tommy and Fabrizio stood.
"We had an idea," Rose said. Her smile was huge, full of excitement.
"None of us know where we'll end up," Jack began, "but we're all gonna be starting off in New York. We were thinking that we could all find a place to live together."
"Jack, no," Fabrizio said. "You two have a baby on the way."
"And you're just starting your lives together, boyo," Tommy pointed out.
"It's not gonna be born tomorrow," Jack said. "We've still got months until the baby gets here."
"Please think about this," Rose said. "We've all lost everything except for the clothes we're wearing. We have no money. It won't be easy, but I'm sure we can all find a job and –"
"Oh no," Jack blurted. "You can't be working in your condition."
"Excuse me? I can't?" Rose snatched her hand from his and crossed her arms.
"Rose, I didn't mean it that way."
"You're going to tell me what I can and cannot do now, too?" Jack tried to protest, but Rose held up her hand. Her tongue was heavy with a thousand words, but having been trained her entire life to hold her tongue, Rose remained silent. Instead she turned on her heel and began to walk off, defiantly.
"Rose wait," Jack called. He walked briskly behind her.
"I want to be left alone right now, Jack," she snapped.
Jack stopped in his tracks. He stood there, dumbfounded, as he watched Rose walk away. He sighed and hung his head. How could he be so stupid?
…
Rose laid down on her cot in the infirmary and stared at the ceiling. Tears slide down her cheeks. She knew that she was being ridiculous, but right now, she didn't care. The one thing she never thought she would be told by Jack is that she can't do something.
"Rose darling,' is that you?" a familiar voice called. Rose wiped her face as she sat up to see Molly.
"Molly!" Rose said with a smile. Molly made her way over to Rose and the two women embraced. "Are you alright Molly?"
Molly smiled. "I'm fine. I just came to get some aspirin for a sore back. How are you? Jack told me you were here."
"You didn't tell anyone, did you?"
Molly shook her head. "No. Jack asked me not to. I assume you heard about Cal?"
Rose nodded. "I'm not sorry he's gone," she confessed. "Have you seen my mother?"
"I have. Rose, everyone thinks you're dead. Can you fill me in on what I missed?"
Rose did as Molly asked, quickly explaining that Ruth knew that she was alive and chose to pretend that she was dead in order to retain her social status. Molly shook her head in despair.
"That woman was always something else. I know she never cared for me much, but that never bothered me. But to choose money over her daughter's happiness?"
"It's not a problem, Molly. We both win this way. She stays rich and I have Jack."
"Where is he, anyway?"
"Oh…I….he's," Rose sighed. "We had a disagreement about something."
"About what?" Molly sat on Rose's bed.
Rose sat down next to her and explained her initial meeting with Jack and that she was pregnant with his child. She went on to tell her of their reunion with Tommy and Fabrizio and the idea of the four of them finding an apartment.
"I said something about finding a job and Jack told me I can't," Rose said. "I know I'm being completely ridiculous, and acting like a spoiled child, but I never thought he would tell me that I can't do something."
"He's just looking out for you and the baby Rose."
"And after all that he and I have been through so far, I can't really fault him for that. I need to find him and apologize." Rose stood and immediately felt dizzy. She plopped back onto the bed.
"Are you alright Rose?" Molly asked in sudden alarm.
Rose nodded. "I'm fine. Just a dizzy spell, it'll pass." She took a couple of deep breaths.
"Why don't you stay here? I'll go look for Jack," Molly offered.
"You don't have to do that," Rose said.
"Well I can't exactly let you faint and risk getting hurt."
Rose nodded in agreement. "Thank you Molly."
…
Before Rose opened her eyes, she felt Jack's hand in hers. She gave it a squeeze.
"Hey," Jack greeted. Rose turned and looked at him. "I'm sorry Rose."
"Don't be. I overreacted. I understand that you just want me and the baby to be safe. I'm sorry."
Jack smiled at her. "I love you so much. I lost you once, I won't lose you again," he swore. Rose leaned up to kiss him.
"I won't let you lose me, Jack. I love you too." Rose kissed him once more, and began to giggle as her stomach growled loudly.
"So apparently, you're hungry?" Jack asked sarcastically.
"I guess so. That's funny since I just ate not too long ago."
"Sweetheart, that was over eight hours ago."
"What? I've been asleep all this time?"
"Yes you have. Molly was here for a little while after she found me. She told me that she slept a lot in the beginning of her pregnancies. It's normal, I guess."
"I don't even remember falling asleep. I closed my eyes and the next thing I knew, I felt your hand in mine."
Jack chuckled. "Well shall we go find something to eat?" Rose nodded and got up slowly.
"Where are Tommy and Fabri?"
"Probably in their cabin. They're sharing it with a couple of other men who survived. It's been cold and raining all day." Jack wrapped a donated shawl around Rose's shoulders. "The captain of the ship excepts to dock sometime tomorrow."
Rose sighed. "It'll feel good to be back on dry land."
"Tommy and Fabrizio agreed to sharing an apartment with us," Jack told her.
"Oh that's great news!"
"I'm sure whatever we can afford will be small though," Jack said with a less enthusiastic tone.
"That doesn't matter right now. We'll make it work." Rose was thrilled. In a way, they were all becoming a family. She patted her belly softly. They were a family that was growing. "And this little girl will have two uncles who love her."
"A girl?"
Rose nodded. "When I think about our baby, I see a girl." Jack squeezed her hand.
"I see a girl too," he said with a smile.