(A/N: Thank you for the review and the favorite and follow:) I really appreciate and also thank you to those who are reading but don't comment)

...

Rose had just finished the book The Great Gatsby. She found it sad and tragic and somewhat beautiful. Gatsby was such a tragic figure. He had been so in love with the idea of Daisy, he couldn't see or accept the reality of the situation. Just like how Madeline and the others were so in love with Cal that they couldn't see the monster that he really was. Just like she had once been blinded by him until it was too late. That sort of blindness had ruined Gatsby's life and it had nearly ruined hers. It probably would have if it hadn't been for Jack. He saved her in every way that a person could be saved. He truly was her her hero.

It was the day after she and Jack had agreed to secretly date each other and since then Rose has been in a dream world. She had spent most of the day before watching romance movies and today she had finished The Great Gatsby in one read. She wasn't normally a romantic, especially after what had happened to her during the summer, but Jack had breathed life into a part of her soul that she had no idea existed.

"Rose!" Her father called up to her. So far she got along fine with her father and step-mother. They were definitely a refreshing change from her mother, who had nothing nice or positive to say. All Ruth ever did was criticize Rose and made her feel not good enough. Of course, Rose knew that this was probably the honeymoon period and sooner or later she'll be annoyed with her father's attempts to parent her, but for now she was content.

"Coming!" She placed the book back on her bedside table and went bounding downstairs, where her father was waiting in the foyer. "Yes?"

"Follow me," He motioned with his head towards the garage. His expression was unreadable, giving Rose no clue on what this was about.

"Okay," she walked the rest of the way downstairs and followed her father to the garage where her red Bentley that she had left in her mother's driveway sat, newly washed and ready to drive. Her eyes widened as she turned to her father. "What? How? Does mother know it's here?"

"Of course she does. I brought it from her actually. Mildred Townsend, one of your neighbors goes to the same salon that Katarina goes to and she was talking about how Ruth was putting up her daughter's car for sale and what a shame it was since the girl had loved the car and of course, Katarina told me and I had my lawyer take things from there."

"You didn't have to do that...I mean...I don't know what to say?"

Her father just chuckled. "Just promise to drive safely and not to stay out too late. That is all I ask."

"I promise," Rose caught the keys as he tossed them to her. She looked at the keys and then the car in total disbelief. She really had thought that she'd never see her beloved vehicle again.

"It sure is a nice day out," Katarina winked. "Too nice of a day to stay in doors. The kind of day to pick up your favorite guy and maybe go on a ride..."

"I think that would be perfect," Rose laughed, giving her step mother and then her father a hug. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me. I just enjoy making my daughter smile. It's one of many smiles that I have to make up for," her father chuckled. "Now go. Your young man is probably waiting."

Rose chuckled. "He's not even expecting me..."

She waved good-bye as she got into the car and pulled off into the road. She couldn't believe that she had gotten her mode of transportation back and she couldn't wait to show it to Jack. Ten minutes later, she pulled into a parking space that was just around the corner from Jack's house. She would pick him up from the house itself, but she was in no mood to see Julie and pretend to be nothing more to Jack than a friend. She took out her cell and quickly dialed Jack's cell.

"Hello?" Jack answered, sounding distracted.

"Hi...what are you doing?" Rose asked.

"Working on this sketch for art class. What are you up to, Roseb...Rose."

She giggled. "Julie's there?"

"Yeah."

"I am around the corner from your house. Can you come out?"

Jack was in the living room, his portfolio perched on his lap as Julie sat on the couch up against the left wall watching television. Noting that his cousin was good and distracted he smiled. "I suppose I can. What are you up to?"

"My dad got my Bentley back for me...and I wanted to use it to spend the day with you. That is if you can get out of the house without Julie noticing."

"That shouldn't be a problem. Hold up, I'll be there in five," Jack hung up and closed his portfolio. He stood up from the seat and paused, wondering if he should leave his portfolio or take it with him. Smiling, he remembered how Rose loved his drawings and since she was his muse, there was no telling when inspiration would strike, so it was best to take it.

"Going somewhere?" Julie looked up from the tv show she was watching.

"Yeah. For a walk. Get some fresh air..."

"I'll come with you," Julie began to get up. There had been a tension between herself and Jack since they had returned home from the party and she wanted to work it out. She hated fighting with her cousin. She wanted to clear the air between them as soon as possible. To her disappointment, Jack shook his head no.

"Alone. I just need to get some fresh air alone. I've been thinking about Lisa a lot and...well when I brood I rather be by myself, you know? Don't want to drag anyone down with me..."

"All the more reason why you shouldn't be alone. I know how you get when you think of Lisa too much and for too long. Having someone along will at least keep you from sinking into the depths of depression again," Julie sighed.

"I just need some time on my own Julie. It's not that bad, I promise. I'll be back later and in a happy mood most likely."

"I don't know, Jack..."

Jack sighed, beginning to get annoyed. Maybe he should just come clean and say that he's going to see Rose, but he really didn't want to have to deal with Julie's attitude about Rose, just like he was beginning to get annoyed with her concern over his feelings over his sister's death. "I'm fine, Julie. I just want some time to myself. Just like anyone else. I promise, if I start brooding, I'll call you or one of the others. I don't need a babysitter."

Julie sighed, giving in. "Fine. "

Feeling guilty, Jack walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "If I get lonely or too broody, I'll call. Okay?"

Julie shrugged, trying to hide the hurt she felt at Jack's refusal to let her join him. "Sure. Whatever."

She was mad at him. If only he could tell her the truth without her making a big deal out of it. But he knew that he couldn't. The best thing he could do now is just leave. She'll probably be over it by time he got back. "Later..."

Jack left the house, feeling guilty but he wasn't going to let that stop him from seeing Rose. He walked around the corner and grinned when he saw her leaning against her red Bentley waiting for him. The smile Rose gave him was bright enough to light up his day and push away the clouds of guilt he had for how he had treated Julie.

"Jack!" She raced over to him, jumping into his arms. "I was wondering if you were coming out."

Jack laughed and hugged her tight. "Of course I was. Just had to handle Julie for a moment. She was insisting on joining me."

"That would have definitely put a damper on my plans for us," Rose chuckled, pressing her lips to his in a light kiss.

"No worries. I managed to dodge her. So...what plans are those and did you say that you had gotten your car back?" Jack pulled away and walked up to the red Bentley, giving a low whistle. "Nice..."

"I was hoping we could spend the rest of the day and the evening together, just riding around and enjoying the car..."

"That's an idea," Jack nodded. "How did you get it back, anyway?"

"My mother was going to see it and my father found out and brought it out from under her. It's rather amazing really," Rose shrugged.

"You mother was going to sell your car? Without your permission?" Jack was flabbergasted. He had never heard of a parent doing such a thing, not with the child's knowledge anyway.

"I guess she wanted all reminders that she even had a daughter out of the house. She's not much of a mother, is she?"

Jack didn't know how to answer that one. In his opinion, Ruth Dewitt Bukater indeed did not give a damn about her daughter. But looks could be deceiving, which kept him from making a harsh judgment on the woman, even though he didn't like the way she treated his girl. His girl. Jack couldn't help the grin that appeared on his face at the thought.

"What are you grinning about?" Rose asked, admiring how his face just seemed to light up when he smiled. He was her ray of sunshine. He just lit up her whole life, just by the power of his smile.

"Just thinking about how you're my girl. Just the thought makes me happy," Jack looked away from the car to the girl before him. He gently touched her face. "The most beautiful girl in the world is my girl."

Rose blushed. "I'm sure that you've seen more beautiful girls than me. You're just being sweet."

"Not even close," Jack kissed her again, his lips lingering on hers. He moaned as he pulled away. "We better be on our way or people will think we're loitering."

Rose sighed. Again, she didn't want to stop kissing him. Kissing Jack was like kissing summertime. So warm and sweet. She never wanted his kisses to end. "You're right...let's go before your cousin decides to take a walk of her own and find us here."

Jack just chuckled before sliding into the passenger's seat. "So where are we off to?"

In the passenger seat, Rose checked her rear-view mirror before pulling out into traffic. "I was thinking that we can drive along the byways. Enjoy the California scenery."

"Good idea," Jack grinned, sitting back in his seat before taking her hand in his.

The day was full of just driving the byways, driving along the coastline and just enjoying each others company. Finally night had fallen and it found Rose and Jack in a clearing on top of a cliff, overlooking the ocean. Rose had lowered the roof so that her and Jack could lower down the car seats so they could just lay there and look up at the stars above.

Jack linked his hands with her and raised her hand to his lips. "This is beautiful. I didn't even know that this spot existed."

Rose smiled. Today had been everything that she could hope for. It had just been her and Jack. She wished that everyday could be like this. She could just imagine feeling like this all the time. Safe, warm, and loved. It was as if Cal's attack had never happened. It was only with Jack that she felt this way. She never wanted to leave his side. "I used to come here to be alone and think. Kind of like the caves you showed me. Except for it's nothing but the sky and ocean, no sand or rock."

"I think I like this place better," Jack smiled.

"I like it better with you here," Rose smiled, taking her eyes off the stars above for a second to look at the boy by her side. "Everything is better where you are."

He turned his head so their eyes could meet. "I'm glad. It's my mission to make things better for you."

"Mission accomplished, I guess," Rose giggled, returning her gaze up at the stars. They weren't as beautiful as Jack's eyes, but they weren't as overwhelming either. When she looked into Jack's eyes, she felt that she could lose herself...and she didn't know if she was quite ready to do that just yet. She trusted Jack, but losing oneself in another person was too much of a scary thought for her at the moment. It was best to return to the beauty of the night sky and leave drowning in the beautiful eyes of the boy she was growing to love more and more for another time. "The stars are beautiful tonight. So vast and endless."

Jack blinked, a bit surprised by the change in direction of the conversation, but going with the flow. If she wanted to talk about the stars, he was all for it. "Yeah. It's beautiful."

"Look! A shooting star!" Rose gasped, pointing at the bright star zipping across the sky.

"That's a long one. My pops said that a shooting star is a soul going to heaven."

"I kind of like that..."

"You're supposed to close your eyes and make a wish on it," Jack smiled, closing his eyes for a second, wishing that the girl he loved would find an inner peace. That the pain she's been in for the past month or so would simply disappear and leave her in peace.

Rose too closed her eyes, wishing that Cal's attack had never happened. That she was never broken. But of course, that was an impossible wish. No amount of wishing on falling stars would ever change the past.

"What did you wish for?" Jack asked after a moment of silence.

Rose's sigh was sad and wistful. She knew that her wish could never happen. She didn't even know why she had wished it in the first place. "Something that I can't have."

Jack frowned, not liking the sadness in her voice. "What?"

"That the night with Cal...that it had never happened...that I had never gotten involved with him in the first place. But it's the past and can't be changed...so it was a wasted wish," Rose sighed, her eyes never leaving the stars. "I'm rather pathetic, huh? Anyone else would make a more attainable wish. But not me. I have to wish for the impossible."

Jack squeezed her hand, causing her to look at him once more. "You're not pathetic. And it wasn't a wasted wish. It's normal to wish that the past never happened. That we made different choices and that somethings never happened at all. Especially when it's something like what that bastard did to you. It's not pathetic Rose.

"The past may not be able to be changed, but I promise you, I'm going to make sure that the future is going to be quite different and that Caledon Hockley never comes near you again. What he did...it's in the past and in the past it'll stay and someday...you will have moved on and what he did won't even matter anymore."

"Can you make that a promise?"

"Yeah. I can," Jack smiled, his fingers reaching over to play with her soft as silk hair. "One of the many promises to you that I'm going to keep."

Rose felt her mouth go dry as her chest filled with emotion. At that moment, if there were any doubts that she was in love with him, they were gone. She wanted to tell him right there and now, in the front seat of her car, looking up at the stars, but something kept the words from escaping her lips. So instead, she leaned over and gently pressed her lips against his, allowing her tongue to brush against his lips to taste him. She gasped as his mouth opened and she felt the gentle brush of his own tongue against hers. It was the best thing she's ever tasted.

He hesitantly pulled back, afraid to go any further, not wanting to kiss scare her.

"I can't believe how I got to be so lucky as to have met you, Jack. You've been my guardian angel from the moment I met you," Rose sighed.

"I wish we had met sooner," Jack smiled. "I think I could have swept you off your feet before Hockley even had a chance to even look at you."

"Maybe," Rose chuckled, a little surprised that Jack had caught on to her wish that she had met him before Cal. "But we know each other now. That's all that matters."

"It's getting late," Jack looked at the clock on the dashboard. He winced at the time. Julie was probably going to interrogate him when he got home. He dreaded it. He wished that she would just accept Rose. He hated lying like this.

"What time are you usually due in?"

"I should have been back hours ago if I had really just gone for a walk to be alone. Julie probably thinks I've sunk into some deep dark depression again," Jack shrugged. "But according to my Aunt and Uncle, curfew is in another hour."

Rose sighed, pushing her seat into an upright position once again. "Well I guess we better get going. I don't want you to be grounded on my account."

"You're worth getting grounded over," Jack grinned, pushing his seat upright as well.

Rose laughed. "You probably believe that."

Starting the car and pulling out back into the street leading back to town, Rose sighed. She wasn't ready for this night to end. She wished that this date with Jack would go on forever.

Twenty minutes later, she pulls into a parking space just around the corner from Jack's house. She looked at him wistfully. He smiled as he turned to look into her eyes.

"So. That's it for our first official date," he smiled. "It was nice."

"Yes. I had a lovely time. I hate that it has to end," Rose sighed, not at all ready to say good-night. "Thank you for a wonderful night, Jack."

"No, thank you," He gently smiled. "So, what's the plan for tomorrow? Am I picking you up or do you want to drive yourself?"

Rose had to stop and think about that. She really hadn't given much thought to what the return of her Bentley really meant. With Jack driving her, she didn't arrive at school alone. Jack was with her and guarded her against her former crowd's attempts to harass her. Sure they hadn't bothered her since that confrontation in the lunchroom, but she didn't expect it to last long. Cal could never let anything go. If they saw her arriving to school alone, surely they'll begin their harassment again.

"Maybe it's for the best if you keep driving me. Besides, I like seeing you first thing every morning."

Jack chuckled. "I have to admit, I liked picking you up and driving you. Even though we weren't together, it felt like we were. I felt like I was dating the prettiest girl in school and now that I actually am, I want to continue."

Rose smiled. "You are so sweet. No way am I the prettiest girl in the school."

"You're right. You're the most beautiful," He leaned and kissed her long and deep. Reluctantly, he pulled away after a minute had passed. He gently touched her face. "Good night, Rose. Sleep well..."

"Good night Jack," She sighed, her skin missing the warmth of his hand as he got out of the car. She watched as he gave her one last wave and jogged back to his house. She hated saying goodbye, but knowing that she'll see him first thing in the morning eased the ache of missing his presence. Yes, she was in love with Jack Dawson and she couldn't wait until they tell the world.