That evening at dinner, the captain made the announcement that they were nearing the Bahama islands and should be there by morning, which put everyone in a good mood. Rose was telling Jack how she planned to have her hair braided, while Jack couldn't wait to start drawing everything he saw. Tommy on the other hand looked forward to buying some soca music to play at his parties.
Everyone was in good spirits, except for Matthew, who was in midst of blaming himself for something that he had nothing to do with. He knew that he was being unreasonable. It was more than likely, it would have happened whether she was still with him or not. But he still felt somewhat responsible. He had to apologize, but not with everyone around. Maybe when he could get her alone.
That didn't happen for the next two hours. After dinner, Jack and Rose separated themselves from the group and went for a short walk outside. They were going to rejoin the group later on in the night club Parisian, where they planned to dance the night away. But for now, they just wanted a few hours to themselves after a day of being surrounded by friends.
Rose looked up at the stairs and happily sighed. Today had been wonderful. It matched her mood perfectly with sunshine and blue skies. Sure, there was that one moment, with that boy that looked like Cal, but Jack had been there to soothe the situation. Jack, her protector, her knight in shining armor, her fiancee. A thrill ran through her at the last word. Her fiancee. He couldn't give her a better gift than the promise of his hand in holy matrimony.
She looked up at the night sky and smiled at the stars above. She remembered their long ago conversation about stars being the souls of the people they had loved and lost. She wondered which stars belonged to her father and Katarina. Were they happy for her? Was Jack's parents and sister happy? She hoped so.
"Penny for your thoughts," Jack smiled, squeezing the hand that was nicely nestled in his own. He loved the comfortable silence that had fallen between he and Rose and noticed how her eyes drifted up to the stars, her face set in contemplation.
"Oh I was just wondering if our parents are up there watching us. Do you think they're happy for us, Jack?"
Jack wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "Of course. Why wouldn't they be? After all, it was them that brought us together, I'll always believe. And I'm pretty sure that your dad and Katarina are proud that we're making it a long engagement and we're not jumping head first into anything."
Suddenly a wave sadness washed over her as she realized, her father wasn't going to be at their wedding. He wasn't going to be walking her down the aisle, giving her hand to Jack. They'll never have that father daughter dance at the reception. Those opportunities had been stolen from her. She didn't realize what she was doing until her face was pressed against Jacks chest, her tears soaking into his white linen shirt, as his arms tightened around her.
"Rose, what is it?" His voice was gentle and soothing, his embrace safe and warm.
"My father...he won't be there, Jack. No walking me down the aisle...no dance at the reception….all the things most girls get at their weddings, I won't have..."
Jack gently rubbed her back in soothing circles and kissed her blush covered cheek. "I know how you feel. Sure, Uncle Phil will try to do his best to give the fatherly advice thing, but it won't be the same. It won't be my dad telling me how to treat my wife and what's expected of me as a husband. It won't be him telling me his life experience and that hurts. It really does. But I can't let that dampen the happiness I feel, Rose. We have to go on and honor our parents by being the best people we can be, for and to each other. Honor them by becoming a family that's modeled after what we had learned from them in the short time that we did have them...do you know what I mean?"
Rose nodded and pulled away, wiping away her tears. "Yes."
"It's gonna be alright Rose. They'll be there in spirit. They may not be able to do what they would have if they were alive, but they will be there."
"I'm sorry for being such a drama queen."
Jack laughed and touched her cheek. "I wouldn't have you any other way."
Rose smiled and placed a hand over his. "We should go join the others. Even though I rather go to your room...have a repeat of last night..."
Jack just laughed and took her hand in his. "Maybe later. Right now, I want to dance. I can tend to my horny girlfriend later."
Rose playfully slapped his arm and laughed. "Like I'm the only one. You just like to be chased. That's why you're Mr. hard to get."
"Hey, being chased makes getting caught all the more fun," Jack laughed, leading her to the dance club, unaware that these were the final calm hours the ship will have.
…..
Club Parisian resembled a high school prom, filled to the brim with formally dressed teenagers, all dancing and sipping on non-alcoholic drinks. Rose and Jack's groups occupied a table near the entrance and were easy for the couple to find as they entered.
"It's about time!" Tommy waved, sipping on his drink.
"Hey you guys started without us, huh?" Jack laughed, finding two empty seats for himself and Rose. He looked around the brightly lit room. "This is awesome..."
"Perfect theme for prom, right?" Helga grinned.
"I think maybe something different for prom Helga," Trudy giggled.
"Are you thirsty Rose?" Tommy got up. He had been elected the guy to go get drinks for everyone.
"I'll have a sex on a Jack...I mean beach," Rose blushed, causing everyone to burst out laughing. "Sorry..."
"I guess we all know where your mind is tonight," Helga snorted.
"Hey, no making fun of my girl. It's not her fault that I'm so irresistible," Jack chuckled, kissing Rose's cheek and whispering a later in her ear.
"Jack, your ego is getting too big for ya there," Tommy winked before leaving the table.
"I have to go refresh my make up," Rose kissed her boyfriend before getting up. "I'll be back. Don't go anywhere."
"I'll be right here waiting of course," Jack chuckled, watching her leave.
Matthew excused himself from the table and followed Rose to the back of the club. Seeing her disappear into the door marked ladies, he waited for her to return. He didn't really know what he was going to say to her. Beg for forgiveness? Offer her his first born child? He didn't know how he was going to make up for the misery that she must have gone through.
Rose emerged five minutes later and gave Matthew a confused smile.
"Matt? Are you waiting for Trudy? I didn't see her go in..."
Matthew shook his head and gently touched her arm. "I was waiting for you, Rose. We have to talk."
"Now?"
Matthew nodded grimly, knowing that she was probably going to hate him for bringing it up. "Trudy told me something that confused me…but it became clear when I talked to Derrick and he let it slip that..."
Rose's face went ten shades of pale as she realized what Matthew wanted to talk about. She felt her stomach constrict at the thought. "Matthew, I don't want to talk about that. I can't..."
"I just wanted to say that I am sorry. If I hadn't insisted on breaking up with you...or if I had just gone to school here instead of going to Kentucky...it wouldn't have happened."
Rose sighed. She really didn't feel like going through this with him, but there obviously was no choice. "It wasn't your fault, Matthew. There is no such thing as what if...there only is what is. Besides, mother probably would have forced me to go out with Cal and it would have happened anyway. Maybe it was just fated to happen. Besides...it brought me Jack and I wouldn't trade what I have with him for anything. I'd go through it all again if it meant I could have him. He's been my knight in shining armor and at times my only friend. He's everything to me..."
Matthew looked at is feet, still feeling conflicted. "But still...breaking up with you like that...it still made you vulnerable..."
"Being a girl made me vulnerable. You had nothing to do with that. So please stop blaming yourself. The only one to blame here is Cal, and he's roasting in hell right now, thank god."
Matthew nodded. "I'm a still a jerk though. Trying to make it about my guilt..."
"No, you're not a jerk. You're a good ex-boyfriend that felt guilty over something he had no control over whatsoever. Matthew...look at it this way. We had our time and it had to come to an end. I had to go on a different path and unfortunately, I had to go down a dark path to get there, but now I'm at the other end and where I'm supposed to be and I survived. Which is something to celebrate, don't you think?"
Matthew chuckled. "Yeah. You're right. Let's get over to our table and celebrate."
Rose smiled and led the way back to the table where everyone was waiting. "We have returned," Rose kissed Jack, slipping onto his lap.
"Is everything okay?" Trudy asked, giving Matthew a curious look. She had spotted him talking to Rose, looking rather morose.
"Everything is great," He gave her a reassuring smile.
Tommy suddenly got up, dragging Fabrizio along with him onto the dance floor.
"Tommy, what are you doing with my man?" Helga laughed, watching the two men approach the dance floor.
"It's time for Fabrizio to learn to whip and nae nae," Tommy winked.
Jack laughed and shook his head. "This I have to see."
"It's not that hard," Rose giggled, getting up off Jack's lap. Jack looked at her with wide eyes. "You cannot be serious..."
"Come on Jack. It'll be fun," Rose took his hands and pulled him out of the chair and onto the dance floor.
Everyone laughed as they watched their friends on the dance floor, following the instructions of the song.
"They're pretty good, don't you think?" Derrick turned to his girlfriend. Julie just shrugged, determined to stay miffed at her cousin for being mad at her. Derrick just sighed and turned back to watch his friends dancing.
Finally, the song was over and a slower song began. Tommy approached the table with his hand out to Annabelle. "May I ask the lass for this dance?"
Annabelle smiled and had just placed her hand in his when the world came to an end.
No one could say how exactly it happened. One minute, everyone was dancing and having a good time and the next they knew water was crashing into the ship and the room was quickly flooding.
Rose watched it all come apart, clinging tightly to Jack as water crashed through the glass window and flooded the room, sweeping table, chairs, glasses, and people away.
"Jack, what's happening?" She cried, burying her face against his shoulder, wanting to hide from the sight of it all.
"I don't know…," Jack tightened his arms around her, afraid of losing her somehow if he let go. "It's okay Rose...you jump, I jump...I won't let go, I promise."
"It's probably a rogue wave, read about it at school last year. They come out of nowhere! I never thought that I'd actually experience one! Come on, we have to get out of here, we don't want to get trapped inside!" Matthew came up with Helga and Fabrizio.
Jack moved to follow him when he heard a blood curdling scream. He looked and his heart dropped to see Julie. She was bleeding from her head and she was clinging to a window sill, trying not to get swept away. "Oh my god, Julie! I have to help her!"
"What are you going to do?" Trudy asked, standing behind Matthew, who looked lost.
Jack looked at his screaming cousin and then at the sobbing girl in his arms. He couldn't leave Julie to die, but he had to make sure that Rose was safe as well. There was only one thing he could do. He kissed her hair and pushed her into Matthew's arms. "Get her and the others out of here. I'll catch up."
Matthew's arms automatically locked around Rose as Jack splashed towards Julie. He began pulling her towards the exit, with her screaming and calling for Jack all the way. They had just reached the flooded deck when he saw it. Another huge swell of water, washing over the deck and covering the ship. Rose's cries for Jack turned into a scream as they all lost their footing. Matthew found himself underwater, but he kept a tight grip on Rose and kicked for the surface. When they did surface, Rose was spitting water out and crying for Jack and Matthew only saw a body of water with people screaming and swimming around as another wave washed over them.
There was no time to call for help, or to look for anyone from their group, because another rogue wave rose up and this time it knocked him unconscious and it washed not only him and Rose, but also a good many other passengers further and further away from the floundering ship.
(A/N: Of course Jack and Rose can't go on a cruise without some disaster happening and I thought some rogue waves would be better than the ship hitting something or turning upside down. Does Jack live? Hmm...lol)