Rose awoke late the next morning. She had a feeling however time didn't really matter very much here though. The bed was empty, Jack was already up. The realization hit her that it was the first time her and Jack had shared a bed. She peeled herself from the lusciously soft and smooth sheets and put on a silk bathrobe, conveniently laid out for her. She took a look at her pictures as she walked by, and gave her dog a quick scratch under the chin.
She went out of the bedroom. Jack was waiting for her, sitting on the couch, a book in his hands. She leaned over the back of the couch, reading over his shoulder. He craned his neck up and they kissed.
"What book?" she asked.
"Moby Dick." He said "Haven't read it yet. Figure it will only will take me a few weeks out on deck."
"What time is it?" Rose asked, picking up one of Jack's sketchbooks on the nearest table. She flipped through it. It was filled with pictures of basically every nook and cranny of the ship, every room and every part of the deck.
"It's still morning." Jack said, getting up of the couch, going over to Rose.
"These are amazing Jack," she stopped on a page that was an incredibly detailed drawing looking off the bow from the bridge.
"Oh, that one." Jack laughed. "I think E.J and company got a little sick of me spending all my time around the bridge to get every detail of the wheel right."
"Can we walk Jack, just around the whole deck?"
"I would love too; it's as always, beautiful out."
Rose went into their washroom and took a long relaxing bath. She hadn't taken a real bath in years and it felt glorious. She dressed in comfortable contemporary clothing that the armoire was filled with; no corsets for her anymore!
When she came out fully dressed Jack laughed. "What kind of costume is that?"
"This is what we wear from where I'M from" Rose snickered, adjusting Jack's collar.
"I've just never seen you wearing trousers before, just seemed a little……strange that's all." Jack said.
Rose grabbed Jack's hand and dragged him out of the stateroom into the hallway. She was eager to get going, excited to experience the thrill of the salty air in her face again from the deck of the beautiful leviathan of a ship. She didn't notice that she was racing down the hallway until she nearly knocked straight into J.J Astor who came around a corner.
"Slow down Mrs. Dawson, no need to rush around here." She didn't say anything, she just leaped onto Astor and gave him a hug, he was another face she remembered from so long ago, and to see him again was wonderful. Jack caught up with Rose as she pulled away from her embrace with Mr. Astor.
"Hello Jack." He said a smile on his face. "It's wonderful to see you two together."
"I would talk J.J, but this one is a bit impatient to get out on deck." Jack said in a sarcastic voice.
"Excellent." J.J said, "It is truly a gem out today, not a cloud in the sky." They said goodbye to Mr. Astor and made their way out on deck. Rose had a feeling that here, it was perfect weather everyday.
"Still carrying the sketchbooks around I see" Rose said, playfully trying to snatch them from under Jack's arm.
"You never know when you'll see something worth drawing." He said. As they emerged out on the boat deck. Rose was taken aback, it truly was stunning out.
The sun was bright, but not bright enough to hurt your eyes. The wind was blowing enough to carry a cool salty smell to your nose, but not enough to interfere with you. It was warm enough to dress lightly, but at the same time cool enough so the crew wasn't uncomfortable in their woolen jackets.
The ship itself was a wonder. It looked brand new, newer than new. One of the first things Rose noticed was the lack of lifeboats, none were visible. Rose should have been concerned, but she wasn't, she knew they weren't necessary here. She also noticed the buzz of people. Third, second and first class men, women, and children were mingling. It was a marvel to behold. Rose watched the sun sparkle off the deep blue seas. A whale rose and took a deep breath, before plunging back down to the depths as she watched.
Rose and Jack merely walked, no words were spoken. They were like two inseparable souls and friends. People would nod hello when they saw them walking by. There were many people sitting out on deck, reading, writing, or drawing. A lot of people simply sat and stared out to sea, a lover's hand in theirs or a child on their lap.
They made their way towards the fore of the ship. As far as they could at the boat deck, to the officers area, next to the bridge.
"Jack can we be here?" Rose asked, she didn't think passengers were allowed here without permission.
"Rose, they love having people up here." She recalled his picture of the wheelhouse.
They went as far forward as they could Rose stood leaning up against the low wall, Jack stood right behind her. Grasping her hands around her waist. Laughter drifted from the bridge, they looked over and saw Captain Smith and William Murdoch come out from the wheelhouse, as they strolled over they were joking.
"Beautiful morning isn't it." Smith said. Rose thought it odd neither of them were wearing their uniforms, they were both just wearing their white shirts and black ties. They stood next to Jack and rose, leaning on the railing, and looked out over the deep blue ocean the bow was crashing through.
"Captain, where is your uniform?" Rose asked, puzzled.
'Oh that old thing." He looked past Jack at her. "That's only for dinner, and please, call me E.J, you're as much a captain here as I am."
Murdoch added in with a smile emerging from his face, "and besides, looks at what you're wearing." All three men laughed as they looked at Rose. She blushed slightly.
"Well at least I have some fashion sense unlike you men; at least I wear colors and not just black, white, brown and grey!"
"Well you got us there princess, at least your coordinated for all to behold in those ridiculous looking shoes." Jack joked, all three men laughed, Rose turned to face all three of them, her hands on her hips.
"They are called sneakers, and they are probably a lot more comfortable then leather shoes!" She turned forward like she was in a huff, but broke into giggles; it was such a ridiculous, fun argument for three men and a girl to be having, and she loved every second of it.
They all stood there for a few minutes, letting the salty cool breeze blow into their faces. Rose honestly could not recall a more beautiful day, or a more beautiful place to spend the most beautiful day in memory. None of them noticed the small, light footsteps coming from behind them; they were engrossed by the sea.
"Hey daddy." A voice of a small child said from behind them. Captain Smith turned around.
"Hey sleepy, you must have been tired." He said, a smile beaming from his face. Rose didn't realize Captain Smith had had any children.
"I went to see mom." The girl said. She was dressed elegantly, but not extravagantly. She was well dressed, but she still looked like a girl, not a small version of a grown woman like Rose was at her age.
Captain Smith bent over and hoisted the girl up. She was a small girl for her age, she was perpetually twelve to him, but looked no more than ten. Rose thought it was beautiful in a way. A father and daughter perpetually as they remembered each other.
"I don't believe you two have been introduced." He said.
"Rose this is Helen, my daughter, Helen this is Rose Dawson." They both exchanged hellos.
Smith turned back towards the water, as did they all, with smiles etched on their faces.
"How was mom?" E.J asked his daughter. They were interrupted by someone that came up behind them; they didn't hear her till she was right behind them.
"Excuse me." Another small voice said. They all turned around.
"Hey Cora." Jack said "what are you doing?" he asked.
She had a few tears visible on her face; it looked like she was upset. Heaven wasn't perfect, but it allowed for simple acts of kindness, which were in no short supply.
"Has anyone seen my bear, I lost him last night?" she said, sniffling as more tears came as she said her problem.
"Not to worry." Smith said. "I won't let a bear stay lost long on my ship."
"Where did you last have him?" Jack asked, kneeling down to her level, wiping some of the stray tears from her cheeks.
"Is he grey?" Helen said shyly, Rose got the impression she was a pretty shy girl.
"Yes, did you find him?" Cora asked her face and voice immediately filling with hope and happiness.
"I think I found him last night at dinner, me and my dolly have been taking care of him."
"Really." Cora said, excited. "Can I go see them?"
"Sure." Helen said. "Daddy, can me and Cora go play in our room?"
"I don't see why not." Smith said, beaming brightly, he put Helen back on the ground. "Your getting heavy." He said once he put her down.
"You always say that dad." She said, as she led Cora over to the captain's quarters.
They watched the girls disappear through the bridge and into the captain's quarters right behind it.
"I wasn't aware you had children Mr. Smith" Rose said.
"Yes ma'am she isn't always here, she spends a lot of time around here, you'll get to know her soon enough. Wonderful, beautiful girl she is." He said proudly.
"If I may ask." Rose said "why isn't your wife here." She asked.
"Why isn't your husband here?" Smith asked in return.
"Well, I guess he doesn't have any connection to here, we've said our goodbyes, and we had a full life together…."
"That's why, you've had enough time together, I'm sure you'll go visit him eventually, my wife visits sometimes, but she always knew what might have happened with what I did for a job." He said.
His serious façade broke a few seconds later then he laughed.
"But it's probably because she never liked boats."
"And for my daughter, I guess she just missed her father." It was the best answer Rose could have gotten. The simple longing a child has for the love and protection of their father. They all just stood silently and listened to the wind and watched the blue sea. A barely audible sound of children laughing could occasionally be caught coming from the captain's quarters. Smith lowered his head momentarily, then raised his head with a smile when he heard it.