Chapter Four

It's a Gift

Sorry it's moving so slow. It's not the most exciting story yet...Next chapter or the one after will get the story going hopefully.

After several days of finally deciding how to ask Rose about what had really gone on during Titanic, Sarah found that now was the right time to do so.

When Sarah and Rose were on the train ride from Brooklyn to Boston, she was indeed told a story. Only she didn't think that it fully told. It went something like this:

Rose was engaged to Cal. Cal and Rose boarded Titanic to go to America for their wedding and to live there. Rose was looking over the stern of the boat when she was looking at the propellers and nearly fell overboard, but by pure chance, Jack Dawson was there to save her. Over the next few days, Rose and Jack fell in love, even though both of them knew full well that they shouldn't. The Titanic hit an iceberg. Jack was arrested for something (although Rose failed to specify what for), and she, through all the chaos, went to save him. She refused to get on a lifeboat without him, even though both Jack and Cal urged her to. She resisted. The boat sank and Jack died, both Rose and Cal living, obviously.

As lengthy as that story was, Rose found it all quite fascinating. She was just disappointed that it wasn't the real version. Although the real one probably was much more depressing than the real one.

Sarah joined Rose who was washing her face in the bathroom. Sarah let down her now dry hair from her hair clip. Her normally straight hair seemed more wavy.

"You have beautiful hair, Rose," Sarah said.

Rose smiled. "Thank you. Never did like the color."

"You should. No one else has it. I'm sure many woman would love to have your hair. Myself included."

She waited until Rose was in bed. Sarah lay down next to her. "Can I talk to you about something?"

Rose nodded. "I'm not that tired, anyway. I'd love some company."

Sarah took this as a good sign. She gathered the courage to ask her the question.

"You remember you told me about when you were on Titanic?" Sarah asked.

Rose nodded.

Sarah was never good at beating around the bush. She cursed herself for that. "What did Cal do to you then?"

Rose's dark blue eyes questioned her. "I'm sorry?"

"Rose..." she didn't know what to say next. They were both silent. "I had a dream. It was when you and Cal were at breakfast. He was yelling at you to not go running off with Jack. It was the morning after you went to that party with him. And when Jack was being arrested by the Master At Arms. They pulled something out of his pocket. It looked like a piece of jewelry. And then it was just you and Cal in the room and he hit you and called you a slut." She realized that maybe she had laid it on too heavily. But she was just saying what she saw. Sarah never was good at being coy.

Rose's eyes was still on her's. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you're going to deny it. I would too, Rose. And you did absolutely nothing wrong. Trust me, I lived with the man my whole life. I know his tactics."

Rose wouldn't say anything. She knew that this was both a tough and untouched subject.

"I haven't told that to anyone. No one, Sarah. People who have known me for fifteen years haven't the slightest idea. You've known me for two months and it seems like you know my whole life story."

"I only know the important things. And this is important. What Cal did was horrible. No one deserves that. Especially not someone such as yourself."

Sarah hoped that Rose had enough trust in her to confide in her now.

"Why do you have to be so smart?" Rose asked with a sigh.

Sarah shrugged. "It's a gift," she said with a smile.

Rose turned serious again. "Those were the worst days of my life. I want to forget Titanic. But I want to remember Jack."

"You can and you will," she said. "Jack is always going to be connected to you. And that's a good thing."

"But I can forget Titanic," she reassured herself.

"Well, not completely..." Sarah trailed off. "My birthday's April 15th, 1912. I was born at 2:20 AM."

Rose looked surprised. "That's a coincidence."

"I know. Looking back, I think that that's the only reason Cal adopted me. So he could have something to remember you by."

Silence.

"You know, in a sick way, I think Cal loved me," Rose said. "He thought that if he controlled every aspect of my life so it would 'perfect', I would love him back."

"He'll never hurt you again, Rose," Sarah said softly.

Rose nodded. "I know. I'm past him now, thank God." She saw a necklace dangling from her neck. "Why do you always wear that?"

"This?" Sarah touched the golden necklace with a heart pendant. "It was the last thing Cal gave me before he died. I half think that it was for my golden birthday, but I also think that he picked this out for a reason. After he...you know, died."

Rose nodded again. "It's beautiful. He has a thing with hearts."

"What do you mean?"

She shook her head. "Nothing."

Silence.

"So, I can assume that you didn't tell me some of the story of Titanic with full truth?" Sarah asked.

Rose nodded. "Some things are meant to be secret until you figure them out."

"Like what?"

Rose smiled. "You're gifted. I'm sure you'll have no problem figuring them out."

"Oh, so you're going to make me wait, are you?" she teased.

"I do believe I am, Sarah," she said in her mock mothering voice. "Now, go to bed. Let's see if you can figure it out."

Sarah remained in Rose's bed.

"Go to bed," she said again in her mock mothering voice.

"I am," Sarah replied, a smile upon her face. "I want to sleep here, though. With you." She knew she sounded childish, but she just wanted to tonight.

"Why?" Rose asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know. Can I, though?"

Rose nodded and stroked Sarah's hair. Sarah never had a mother to do this for her. She never had a mother figure in her life. Maybe that was why she wanted to lay with Rose that night. But maybe she felt like she wanted Rose to be safe, even though there was nothing to worry about anymore.

Sarah didn't dream about Titanic that night. She didn't dream at all. She just slept, looking forward to tomorrow when she could finally see Joey again.