Chapter Nine: Survival
"For hours we waited. At least it seemed like hours. More than that. Eternity. I don't even think I was wholly conscious. I only remember singing to you. Then, through this haze, appeared this light. I thought it was the light. I turned my head to face it, and instead of seeing heaven spread before me, I saw a boat. I turned again onto my stomach, and I told you to wake up. But you wouldn't! You wouldn't wake up Jack!" Rose sobbed. Jack pulled her into his embrace.
"Shhh," he soothed, stroking her vibrant hair. "I'm here now, it's alright!" he whispered into her ear.
"But it isn't, Jack! It isn't! Because I let you go!" Rose cried into his shoulder. Jack tilted his head, and mumbled in her ear,
"Let me go? I don't understand what you mean."
"I let you go into the water, Jack. I let you go into the water!" she choked out. Jack pulled her closer, and kissed her forehead.
"Rose, you know it doesn't matter. We are together now, and will be always. You hear me, Rose? Never apart. Ever."
"Oh, Jack," she wept into his shirt. "Oh, Jack," her tears had subsided and now all she could do was smile.
"This is real! This is real, Jack! I'm here, on your couch, talking to you!" Rose shouted, jubilantly. Jack laughed. For a long time they said nothing; just holding each other. Rose interrupted the peace though, saying softly, "Jack. How did you survive?"
"I don't remember anything you just told me," Jack said slowly.
"It wasn't for awhile though, until I began to comprehend what was happening. My nose began to fill up with water, and I was so deep I could feel this pressure on my head. I used any remaining strength I had to get to the surface. When I got there, you were gone. And I just knew-" Jack choked up here. He stopped, and let out a long breath.
"I just knew what had happened to you. I climbed aboard the door you had been on, and I slowly but surely rowed myself to one of the life-boats. Obviously not the one you had been rescued on, but to one out in the middle of the ocean. Everyone was shocked. They threw some blankets on me, but after that I blacked out." Rose stared at him, eyes filled with tears.
"How did you do it, Jack? Where did you get that strength?" Rose whispered.
"When I made you promise me you would go on, I made the same promise to myself. I wasn't going to let you go. Like I said," Jack said smiling, "I'm a survivor."