Chapter 7

The early signs of dawn crept into the room blanketing it in a calm light bluish tint. Rose lied awake in bed pondering over her lover as he slept. He looked so peaceful. Last night after they had exhausted their tears Rose had finished treating the cut on his forehead. She had only just realized that Jack was shivering from his rain soaked clothes and she worried he might get sick.

She helped Jack remove his clothes and told him to climb into bed and Jack did so without complaint. By the look in his eyes she could tell that he was exhausted, she imagined partly from fighting those men and from running in the rain most of the night trying to get to her.

Rose changed into her flannel white night gown and used a large towel to dry her hair, brushing it as she did. By the time she emerged from the bathroom, Jack was fast asleep. Rose climbed in beside him and snuggled against his body resting her head on his chest. She ran a hand over the smooth taut flesh and felt the slow and steady beat of his heart. Jack moved ever so slightly and draped an arm around her shoulder holding her close. It felt good, she felt protected and safe.

Rose sat up leaning on her elbow. She took great pleasure in watching him sleep. Even though he didn't look like the Jack she remembered, she found that if she looked into his eyes long enough she could see him; and for a flickering moment she did. But it was more than that, it was in his smile and the way his hair flopped in front of his face before he would run a hand through it to push it back. Her relationship with Jack only lasted for three days and yet she realized that she could pick up on so many meticulous things about him. His kiss was what Rose remembered most of all. It was his kiss that confirmed his identity. No one could kiss her like Jack. It always left her breathless and wanting for more. Rose ached for those kisses.

Her mind drifted to the night they made love for the first time. She remembered every touch, even now. Every kiss he planted seemed to set her body ablaze. Their sweat mingled together and their hands explored each other without restraint as Jack moved deep inside her with such gentle, fierce passion. Her arms and legs locking around him as he did. They made love as if it was to be their last and how true it was. The moment Titanic had met its fate Rose had never been so afraid. But there was an even greater fear, the fear of losing Jack. Due to her social status Rose's chances for survival stood at a much higher rate while Jack being a third class male made his chances slim to none. She realized that she was more afraid of losing him than anything else, so much in fact that her own life seemed insignificant and she was willing to do anything for him. But it seemed no matter how hard they fought they lost their battle against fate and death had separated them.

There were no words to describe the feelings that welled inside her from having him back in her arms again, even like this. She gently brushed aside the fallen strands of hair that covered over his eyes and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. Jack stirred and his eyes opened in little slits.

"Good morning." She said with a smile

"Good morning." He replied with his own tired smile.

"Did you sleep well?"

His voice came groggy, "Absolutely, now that I'm here with you."

She kissed him again on the lips, her hand cupping his face. Rose had so many questions, so many things she wanted to say. At the same time she didn't want to press him, she could tell he was still pretty tired.

"What's on your mind, Rose?"

She smiled; he must've been reading her thoughts. "We don't have to talk now Jack, I know how tired you are."

Jack smiled that handsome boyish smile that she loved so much. It sent her heart racing. "You're right; I guess you'll just have to give me another kiss if you really want to get any answers out of me."

Rose giggled and did as he said. Jack turned over on his back and looked up at the ceiling. He smacked his lips together and scrunched his face pretending to test the quality of her kiss.

"Mmm…no that's not good enough. I think I'll go back to bed."

She laughed and threw herself across Jack's chest seizing his mouth in a fierce kiss. Jack gripped her head allowing his fingers to comb through her long hair. She was feeling that fire again and a deep longing stirred within her breast. She wanted him; even like this she wanted him. The feel of his strong hard muscles underneath her hands only amplified that longing. Her lips lingered from his mouth traveling down to his neck. Jack made a pleasing sound deep within his throat and Rose continued to leave wet suckling kisses down his chest. She sat up resting on her chin, looking at him with a mischievous smile. "How was that?"

"I think I'm awake now."

Rose gave a throaty laugh and kissed his chest before resting her head on it. For a long time they said nothing, which was fine with Rose. She was content to simply lie in his arms.

"Jack?"

He made a noise that told her he was listening.

"Was what you said true? …..I mean about that woman you spoke of….you said she brought you back."

Jack didn't shy away from her question. "Yes, her name is Morana. She brought me back so that I could be with you. She sympathized with us and wanted us to be together."

"I suppose I should thank her." Rose said

"Yeah well, she's also a devious piece of work. But I guess I can admit that she does mean well."

"Is she pretty?"

Jack gave a light chuckle "What?"

Rose looked up into his eyes "Is she pretty?"

"Yes, but not compared to you."

That made her smile but she found that she could not hold it for long. Then she asked the one question she feared the most, "How long are you staying?" Jack's answer took a lot longer than she would've liked. He sat up in bed taking her with him. The bed sheet slid down into his lap. He gripped her face in his hands and stared at her intently making sure he had her full attention. His grip was gentle but it was also firm.

"Rose I want you to listen to me okay?" Rose nodded, her eyes wet "I'm not going anywhere, I'm here now. I'm not leaving you. I don't want you to worry about that. I'm here for you, nothing else matters. Alright?"

Her hands gripped his wrists "Do you promise?"

Rose saw the Adam's apple in his throat bob up and down as he swallowed. He looked like he was about to say something but decided to say something else "Rose, I'm here, you have me and I will never hurt you again."

That wasn't the answer she wanted. He was avoiding the question. "I want you to promise me Jack," tears of desperation stung her eyes, "Promise me that you won't let anything take you from me again, my heart could not stand it. Please, promise me that I will always have you."

A look of pain was evident in his eyes, finally he said, "I promise, Rose….you will always have me."

Rose felt as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She threw her arms around his neck and embraced him tightly. Jack buried his nose in her neck smelling her scent. It was the smell of rose water. At last he pulled away. "Rose I want you to fill me in on everything. I want to know everything that you've done for the past nine years. I want to know where you've been, the people you've met. I just want to know everything about you. Don't leave out any details." Jack's boyish enthusiasm made her giggle he was like a little boy begging for a bedtime story. He flopped down on the bed leaning over on his elbow and waited patiently for her to start.

She lay down beside him and began to tell her story and Jack's eyes remained focused on hers the entire time. He looked at her as if she were the only person in the world. Rose couldn't believe how lucky she was to have him; to have someone love her as much as he did. Even though Jack never said so Rose had never doubted those feelings. Jack was the kind of person who demonstrated his love rather than say so. She guessed maybe because for him the words weren't enough. But still she wished he would say them, if only just once. She would not force him to say it; she wanted it to be of his own free will. The night that he died in those freezing waters, she had told him that she loved him then. She was giving up at the time and thought that she was going to die but she still meant every word. His reply then had not been what she expected.

Even now as she made him promise to never leave her again his avoidance of the subject and his unwillingness to answer took her back to that night. Jack was hiding something from her and in the end Rose decided that she didn't want to know.

Rose told Jack everything, starting from the moment she stepped off the Carpathia. She told him why she took his last name, some of the hardships she endured. She told him of the times where she nearly starved but somehow managed to survive. She told him of the traveling she had done, how she got an acting job at the Playhouse, and how she had come to know the Mitchells. Rose got up from the bed and went over to her trunk. She started rummaging through her things until she pulled out the old wooden chest. She took it back over to the bed and proceeded to open it. Inside were tons of black and white photographs. Some had pictures of Rose and others were pictures of other people or just beautiful landscapes. She spread them over the bed and the two of them looked at each one. Jack picked up one after another and Rose would tell the story behind it. She told him how she planned to frame them; the ones that meant the most to her anyway. Then something caught Jack's eye. It peeped out from underneath the remaining pile of photographs. He reached over her spreading out the pile. His eyes widened. Slowly he picked it up and thumbed its blue heart shape. Rose watched him for a time.

"Is this what I think it is?" he whispered

Rose nodded, "The Heart of the Ocean."

Jack's face seemed to have saddened a little. He continued to finger the diamond's edges and shape. At that moment he was somewhere else. Rose knew he was thinking about all the trouble this thing had caused them; she knew because she felt the same way.

"You really kept this?" he asked

Rose's brow squinted a little, it sounded as if he were accusing her, and she could hear the hurt in his voice.

"Not for the reasons you think Jack," she said easing his thoughts, "believe me I thought about getting rid of it but it holds nicer memories too. Remember? The night you drew me like one of your French girls?" That brought a smile to his face and Rose was glad for it. "I couldn't just throw it away," she went on, "It's a reminder of my old life but it was also my only connection to you."

Jack brought his arm around her pulling her against his shoulder and kissed her forehead. Rose wrapped her arms around his waist.

Just then there was a knock on the door. Rose looked up, "Who is it?" she called out.

"Rose? It's me, Nancy."

She scooted out of the bed and gave Jack a quick kiss. "I'll be right back."

Rose opened the door and before she could say hello Nancy took off into her rambling. "Rose, good morning, Charlie and I are dressed and ready to go and…" Nancy looked at Rose from head to toe "Rose you're not dressed, you're still in your night gown, did you forget?"

"Forget what?"

"Remember? We invited you to come out with us for breakfast?"

"Oh, yes. I'm so sorry Nancy. I did forget."

Nancy's head cocked to the side suspiciously, "Rose are you okay, you seem so….happy…. you're smiling….and your face is turning red." She leaned over to peep inside her door "Oh my god is someone in there with you?" she said in excitement. Rose was stunned by her boldness. "Nancy!"

"Oooooh I knew it! He must be really special if he's got you all worked up. So who is he?"

Rose felt her face get even redder. Right on cue Nancy caught a glimpse of Jack smiling and waving at her from behind Rose. Nancy looked back at her, "Is that—is that Jonathan?"

"Nancy." Rose said with a rising inflection.

"What's he doing here I thought you hated him? What is going on?"

"Nancy!" she yelled, finally getting her attention. "I'll explain everything at breakfast okay; just give me a moment to get dressed."

"You should bring him along. We'll make it a couples outing." Rose knew it was more to it than that. Nancy was her friend and though she came on a little strong at times she knew she was just looking out for her. Nancy was suspicious of Jack and even though she had nothing to worry about she wanted to see what his motives really were.

"Alright Nancy, alright we'll meet you both outside" Rose closed the door before she could say anything else.

"She seems really nice." Jack said

"You have no idea." Rose said sitting down next to him, tousling her hair. "I love her dearly but she can be a handful sometimes. She wants you to come to breakfast with us. I think she thinks you may be trying to steal my virtue."

He smiled, "Sounds like fun. I would love to meet your friends. And as for your virtue…I guess I can see why she's worried, but I think I'm a pretty good boy.

Rose crawled over him seductively like a cat on all fours. She placed a hand on his chest pushing him down on his back. Her face was so close to his that they shared breath. Her voice came hot and enticing as she spoke. "And Mr. Dawson," she said while brushing his nose with hers, "I expect you to be a good boy today."

Jack laughed and twirled an imaginary mustache accompanied with a horrible French accent "But of course, whatever my lady commands."