Author's Note: It just occurred to me that after spending a long duration of time in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, both Jack and Rose MOST LIKELY would not have escaped unharmed… ah, well… Hope you're enjoying…
I would have updated sooner, but I spent the past few days sick in bed, with awesome storms that killed my internet connection. So. I've been thinking, writing and typing, just not posting. But here we are. :D
Sorry if this one's a bit long… I contemplated dividing up into two chapters but I realized that I'm already on Chapter Seven… Truth be told, I expected to be halfway done with the plotline by now… Oooops… XD
Disclaimer: First Chapter.
Rose's eyes blinked open several hours later after a dreamless sleep. She gazed up at an already darkening sky and listened to the hushed sounds of cries, sobs and whispers. Something was against her body and it took her a moment to realize that she was still in Jack's arms, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. She smiled to herself.
Yawning, she fidgeted slightly, causing Jack to look down at her. "You're awake," he stated simply, smiling. "Finally. I've been starving for the past few hours… Or at least I've been aware of being starving. Do you realize neither of us has had anything to eat since… Well I dunno about you, but I haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday."
Rose smiled dreamily up at Jack. "Food would be nice. I haven't eaten since I was having tea with my mother around lunchtime, yesterday." Suddenly, she frowned. "Why didn't you get something while I was asleep?" Jack shrugged. "I didn't wanna leave you." Sitting up, she smiled again. "That's a good reason."
She stood from Jack's lap as he stood up behind her and took her hand. Together, they walked to the Mess Hall, past several stewardesses setting up cots and makeshift beds on the floor, where they each received a bowl of soup. Jack hungrily slurped his and it was gone in a matter of seconds. Rose, however, wasn't even eating as she twirled the spoon around in the broth, staring at it blankly.
Jack's eyebrows furrowed together. "Rose? You okay?" She glanced at him, one eyebrow raised as she gently leaned the spoon against the rim of the bowl. "I don't know, to be quite honest. I've never been without my mother or Cal or someone who would tell me what to do. Now, here I am, sitting with you, who would encourage me to do whatever my heart desired. I don't know how to react."
"Well, I could always start telling you what to do and put restrictions on everything, if you want." Jack's humor went unnoticed as Rose picked up her spoon again and began twirling it in the broth. "Rose, look at me." Rose did as she was told and for the first time, noticed the paleness of his skin, the dark purple bags under his eyes. His hair hung limply in his face and he was the epitome of a ghost… or at least what she imagined a ghost would look like.
She imagined she looked similar, as they had endured similar fates the previous night. "How did you survive?" she found herself asking without giving the question much thought and instantly regretted it. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to… I just…" Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she glanced nervously at him, almost relieved to see a somewhat amused expression on his face.
"No, no. That was a good question. You don't have to be ashamed. After all we've been through, frankly I'm surprised something like that embarrasses you." Rose flushed again and looked down at her soup, finally finding it in her to be able to take a spoonful of the broth to her mouth.
Jack reached over and placed a comforting hand on Rose's shoulder. "I heard you calling my name and woke up when you were rolling off of the board. You musta been outta your mind, 'cause I kept calling your name but you didn't look at me. Then you started blowing that damned whistle and I couldn't hear anything. When the boat came, I helped them get you into it and then they reached down for me. It's nothing short of a miracle that we're both alive and walking around." He gave her a shy smile as she looked at him seriously.
"I don't remember any of that…" she confessed, once again leaning the spoon on the side of the bowl. "In fact, I remember calling you name and when you didn't answer, I let go of your hand and… I watched you…" She let out a loud sob and Jack's heart broke as he slid his hand around her back to hold her tightly as she latched onto him. "I watched you die," she cried, and he felt her hot tears on his chest.
He placed his other hand on the back of her head and let it get tangled in her wild mess of beautiful hair. "Oh, Rose, please stop crying. I didn't die. I'm here—I'll always be here… Forever and always. Never let go, remember?" He felt her nod and after a few minutes, she lifted her head. "I'm not hungry anymore. Do you want my soup?"
Jack almost readily jumped up to slurp the soup, but instead looked at Rose seriously. "You have to eat. It's almost seven and you haven't eaten in over twenty-four hours." Rose shot him a look of disdain. "I thought you wanted me to tell you what to do," he joked lightly and Rose forced a smile.
"I'm really tired. And you haven't slept in ages. Let's just go to sleep and I'll eat in the morning. I promise." Jack sighed, defeated, and stood reluctantly. "Fine. We need somewhere to sleep, though." Remembering the stewardesses they saw before, Rose led Jack over to the sea of cots and makeshift beds. She found a mattress with a blanket strewn carelessly over it and knelt to the floor to fix it. Finally, she lay down and looked up at Jack.
"And where do you suppose I'll sleep?" he asked, a lightness in his voice. Rose smiled and scooted over, patting the mattress in front of her. Jack gave her a disapproving look. "Rose, you're a woman. I'm a man. We're not married." Rose furrowed her brow. "And?" she prompted, resting her head on her arm as an improvised pillow. "I hardly think this is proper." He glanced around nervously to find no one even acknowledging him.
Rose let out a laugh. "Proper? I'm through with being proper. And besides, what if I can't sleep? What am I supposed to do?" Jack shifted his weight on his feet looking back down at Rose with a tied expression. "Then you come find me. Look, I'm not getting into that bed with you." Rose looked slightly offended. "After all we've been through? Jack, you promised me you'd always be here. Forever and always, remember?"
Jack frowned and unwillingly stepped over to the bed, sitting down on the edge to look at Rose. "I'll sit here until you fall asleep. But only until then. Then I'm going to find my own bed." Rose nodded innocently and pulled the covers up to her chin. "I love you, Jack," she whispered, staring at him. He grinned the grin that only he owned. "I love you too, Rose."
After what felt like hours but couldn't have been more than a few minutes, Rose's grand scheme fell into play as Jack lay down, claiming he was "Just resting." It was only a matter of moments after that when he fell asleep, his breathing becoming even and slow and his limbs all going limp. Rose smiled to herself and wrapped her body around his. Then she fell asleep.
Author's Note: Damn… That was much longer than I expected… Sorry 'bout that… Hope you're enjoying. And quick note: I don't really have anything to fill the next days on Carpathia with, so I hope no one minds if I skipped straight to arriving in New York. I don't really want this to drag on forever… So lemme know whacha think so far. Thanks a ton. :D
~Jillianna