A New Fate
Managed to get this one made before bedtime. Had to call out from work due to bad storm conditions, so I caught up on some sleep and got to writing.
Thank you to all who have taken the time to leave a review. It means a lot!
Enjoy Chapter 8!
Chapter Eight:
A New Path
Rose cried in the arms of her best friend, letting her emotions free from deep within. It was one of the few times when she was able to, without letting anyone else see how vulnerable she was. Trudy was perhaps the only true friend she ever had before Jack.
Just thinking about him made her cry harder.
Now she was back to where she started. Just one friend she could confide in. All the while trapped in a life she so desperately wanted to escape from.
She hated herself for turning him down. Hearing him say those things was all she ever wanted to hear. It was so much she ever dreamed of. And all she had to do was say 'yes'.
But she couldn't.
'You were wrong about me, Jack.'
She was not strong. Not enough to just say what she felt. What she wanted. She couldn't stand up to her mother or her fiancée.
She was weak and powerless.
"Shh," Trudy caressed her hair, calming her down. "It's alright."
Rose shook her head, knowing it was all to make her feel better. Even if Trudy believed it, she couldn't. Not when she had rejected someone who was going out of his way to do so much for her.
As time passed, she began to regain control over herself and catch her breath before being helped to her feet.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Trudy asked, deeply concerned.
Rose shook her head, "No. I just need to freshen up before heading back. Surely, my mother and Cal would have noticed I've been gone by now."
Despite wanting to convince her to change her mind, Trudy nodded and followed her to her room, where they wiped away the tears and reapplied makeup.
Once ready, Rose began to make her way to the door of the suite.
"He came to you, didn't he."
Rose stopped, keeping her back to her.
Trudy nodded, her silence being all she needed, "Rose… I know this isn't my place to say but allow me to break my formality just this once."
She remained still, just within reach of the doorknob.
"I don't know this, Jack Dawson. I don't know who he is or what he has done to earn your smile, but I know that he has more than earned it. I haven't seen you smile like that since your father was alive."
Rose kept her back to her.
"I'm not telling you to choose him just because he saved you or showed you a good time last night. But, as your friend, I can't help myself. I need you to realize that a life with Cal won't have any of those smiles. Maybe you'll find a way to live with it but what kind of life would that be?"
Rose closed her eyes, hearing Jack's voice in her place.
"But it doesn't have to be Jack either. Love is so complicated. I've been in love with other men in my life. But I've never smiled as you have. Maybe it's the myth of love at first sight or maybe it's just nothing more than a crush. But I know that Cal is not the right person for you to marry."
The pressure and anxiety made her wish she could disappear, never to be found again.
"I just want you to be happy, Rose."
Silence followed as Rose took her words to heart before opening the door and exiting the room.
"Has anyone seen Rose?" Ruth asked, looking behind their group as she came to realize that her daughter wasn't around.
Everyone frowned as they looked around the deck.
Taylor saw Tommy and Fabrizio about to make their move to distract them and held up his hand a bit, halting whatever plan they had.
"She said that she needed to use the restroom."
Ruth frowned, "Mr. Lovejoy!"
The former detective approached her.
"Please go find my daughter and return her."
Cal laughed, "No need to worry, my dear. It's just a quick restroom break, she'll be back. If she doesn't return soon, Lovejoy will fetch her."
Lovejoy nodded as he backed away, keeping his distance.
As they continued the tour, Taylor saw the young Miss Bukater making her way back to them and signaled Tommy and Fabrizio that their assistance were no longer needed, watching as they walked away, glancing at the redhead as she passed them by.
"Ah, there she is!" Molly cried out. "Your mother was about to have a cow."
Ruth glared at her.
Rose giggled under her hand, "I apologize… I needed to return to the suite for a bit-"
"No need to explain, Mr. Huston already did that for you."
Rose nodded to him, which he returned as they continued the tour.
As they neared the end of their little walk, Rose walked next to him after being berated by her mother.
"I thought I saw Jack's other friends as I was walking back. I should have known that the four of you were in cahoots."
Taylor shrugged, "He needed help, so we did what we could."
"If you're going to try and convince me to-"
"Miss Bukater, whatever decision you've come to or will reach, is completely up to you. All we did was help Jack get his chance. And as for Jack… I trust he was smart enough to not force you into anything. Whatever happens next is entirely up to you."
Rose was caught off guard by his defense of himself and friends, especially Jack. She was expecting him to lecture her about Cal and how he wasn't a fit for her. It was rather refreshing.
"I've been meaning to ask you… what kind of boy was Jack like five years ago?"
Taylor turned to her, "Well, he was very eager to travel the world. It took some time for the two of us to become best friends and see each other as family. But his heart was in the right place, just struggling to heal from the loss of his parents at such a young age. He wasn't as wise as he is now. Experiencing what the world is like can do that to a person. But that's what he is… an adventurer."
Rose nodded, smiling as she imagined him as a fifteen-year-old teen. How she wished she could have been there to experience the world has he had.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being honest. Please… look after him."
Taylor's heart sank, "That's... that's not a promise I can make, Miss Bukater."
"Rose."
"Pardon?"
"Rose. Please, call me Rose."
Taylor nodded, "Rose it is then."
"But please… for however long you can, look after him."
Taylor looked at her, feeling sorry for both her and his friend, "I'll do my best."
Rose nodded, feeling a little weight being lifted off her shoulders.
Jack couldn't remember how he ended up back inside the room he shared with the others. All he could recall was Rose telling him to leave her alone and watching her walk out the door of the gymnasium. After that, it was blank.
He was standing over his bed, feeling the tears crawl down his face, even tasting the salt from them as they entered through his lips. Slightly shaking his head, he sat down and put his face in his hands, unaware of his surroundings.
He didn't hear the door open as Tommy and Fabrizio entered.
The two looked at each other before approaching him, worried.
"Eh… Jack?" Fabrizio called out.
Jack didn't hear him.
"Jack?" Tommy reached out and touched his shoulder, startling him as he looked up.
The two felt their stomachs drop at the sight of him.
Fabrizio was the most worried, having never seen his friend like this in the two years they had known each other.
He looked away from them and down at the floor.
The two shared a look before backing away and exiting the room, closing the door as he was left alone.
He felt like his soul was being sucked into a dark place deep inside of his heart, with no light to scare away darkness that threatened to take everything that made him happy. He hadn't experienced anything like this since the day his parents died.
Looking out the window, he saw the beauty of the sunny day, feeling a small longing to feel the sun on his skin. Forcing himself up to his feet, he walked to the door and left the room.
Taylor approached the stern of the ship, finding Prometheus there. The orange sky stretching on for as far as the eye could see. A bittersweet atmosphere that almost matched how he was feeling.
The experienced time-traveled turned to him.
"We don't have much time. By eleven forty tonight, the ship will strike the iceberg as it is supposed to. Once that happens, we need to be ready."
Taylor nodded as he stood right next to him, staring out into the ocean.
"Something wrong?" Prometheus asked, narrowing his eyes at him.
Taylor sighed, "Are we truly doing the right thing?"
Prometheus regarded him, "Our duty is to preserve all timelines. This one is no exception."
"But we have a chance to save lives. Isn't that what we are all about?"
He sighed, "We've talked about this. Deviating from the original course will cause a Split, one that Reeves wants to happen."
"What about catching the attention of the California? They can help save as many lives as possible, while still letting the Titanic sink."
"The Titanic is known for its tragedy of fifteen hundred people dying, not just the sinking. Saving that many lives will still cause a Split, regardless of if the Titanic still sinks. Maybe a couple of dozen could be saved if they have no real impact on the future timeline. But it's still too high of a risk. We must stay the original course."
Taylor sighed, "It seems too monstrous of us to let so many people die when we have the power to save them."
"You know the consequences if we did anything to Split the timeline in two. You can have the best reasons in the entire megaverse and you'll still face them all the same."
Taylor nodded, placing his hands on the cold steel of the railing, "So… what's the plan?"
Prometheus nodded back, slightly smiling, "Once the ship begins to sink and the head starts to go under, the Time Lock will be lifted for us to leave this universe. After that, we report back to base to inform them of everything."
Taylor sighed, "And then?"
"Then you will be reassigned to your next mission, which I highly suspect will be to track down Reeves."
He turned to him, "Reeves?"
Prometheus nodded, "Once I help clear your name, I'll put you in for a recommendation to be reassigned to the team tracking down Reeves for his betrayal. That's if they haven't captured him yet."
He let the information sink in, wondering if that was what he wanted. To track the man who caused all this mess and bring him to justice. But deep down, it wasn't enough.
He pushed such feelings and thoughts to the side.
"When should we regroup?"
"Meet me by the front of the ship by midnight. It won't be submerged yet when the Time Lock is lifted."
Taylor nodded, "Midnight it is, then."
He walked away from Prometheus, missing the look he was giving him.
Rose sat at the dining table with her mother and two other noble ladies, wearing her usual neutral expression that kept her slightly sane and her mother happy. Staring emotionlessly at nothing, like as if she wasn't even alive.
She was able to block out the noise and the mindless chatter her mother was having with the two women. She thought she heard her mother talking about something that she disapproved of her doing, but it was nothing of importance to her. She was always disapproving of almost everything she did.
Her thoughts drifted back to Trudy, Taylor and Jack. All three conversations kept flowing back into her mind, no matter how much she tried to push them far away. She kept telling herself that she had made her choice and that it was the right one. But so much doubt kept nagging at her.
She felt so frustrated. So sad. So… trapped.
Dinner had already been served but she didn't eat much, just enough to satisfy her mother. She was thankful when the men moved to their usual area for cigars and alcohol, but it wasn't enough in the end as she had to once again endure her mother's little tea party.
Something caught her attention from the corner of her eye, causing her to turn to see what it was, out of curiosity.
She saw a young girl, sitting at a dinner table with her mother. She was sitting with her back fully against the chair, earning a disapproval look from her mother, who motioned her to sit straight up. She obeyed and corrected herself in how she sat under her mother's direction. Once the tea was being served, she was putting a napkin on her lap, once again under the observation of her mother.
Rose watched the girl with interest, recognizing something familiar about her.
As she looked away and down at the floor, a realization suddenly struck her. A spark that reignited something deep within. A vision that followed afterward.
She saw a woman and a child, sitting in the grassy field of Pennsylvania, just outside of a dark manor. The woman seemed emotionless and stiff, just watching as the child played with her toy. She could see a man in the background, calling for them to come inside as a storm approached. A man who looked similar to someone she held no love for. She watched as the woman picked up the child and carried her inside, never once looking at the man.
Coming out of her vision, Rose shook her head and turned to her mother.
"I'll be returning to the cabin," she said, turning away before her mother could object.
The whole way, as she walked back to the suite, she finally allowed herself to think of Jack and how she felt about him. How she felt after she had made her choice. How the pain of realizing what she had done had settled in.
In all her life, she hadn't experienced anything as painful. Not since the day her father died.
Her thoughts drifted to the night before, when she was partying with Jack and the third-party class. It was by far the most fun she had ever experienced. And she wanted to experience it again. With him.
Coming back to her senses, she found herself in front of the door to the suite she shared with her mother and fiancée.
She questioned everything right at that moment. All doubts and fears fled from her as she thought about her future and the vision she had seen. She thought about the little girl she had just witnessed, recalling moments like that when she was at that age.
And then it dawned on her.
The meaning of it all.
She began to shake as anxiety took hold, tears forming in her eyes.
Her thoughts ran to Jack, wanting to feel his presence, to see his smile, to hear his voice.
Before she knew it, she was rushing to the room she remembered from the day before and was knocking on the door, panting.
The door opened and an Irishman appeared, surprised by her appearance before smiling.
"Ah, so the young little bird has changed her mind!"
"Where is he?" she demanded.
She recognized Fabrizio when he appeared right behind Tommy's shoulder.
"Heyyyy, Rose!" the Italian beamed at her.
Tommy nodded down the hall, "Jack's at the front of the ship. He's still there."
Rose smiled as she nodded, "Thank you!"
She took off, running as fast as she could. As if her life depended on it.
Tommy and Fabrizio shared a look, high fiving each other before closing the door to return to their card game.
Taylor entered the chapel, making his way to the front of the room, where a cross was mounted on the wall. Despite how dark it was, save for some laps lighting up the room, he felt at peace being there.
Kneeling on both knees before the cross, he bowed his head, closed his eyes, and folded his hands together.
It took a moment to begin his prayer.
"Dear God… I know it's been a while since I've been to church. Today was the first time since… well… that day. I haven't lost faith. It's just… it's been so hard after… what happened. Too many things kept reminding me of what I had lost… and I ended up diving deep into my work to numb the pain and to get back what I had lost. But regardless, I'm sorry for it all. For all the sins that I've committed in my life.
"I confess that I've killed in the name of saving lives. That I've stolen to survive. And I beg for your forgiveness for all of them."
He paused.
"I need your guidance. I face a choice far difficult than anything else I've faced before. I know what will happen if I let it come to pass. But I also know what will happen if I don't. And I don't know which one I can live with."
Tears started to slide down his face.
"Please, show me a sign. Anything to show me the way, what I need to do. But please, spare Jack from this catastrophe. If the price is my own life, then I make that sacrifice to see him live. He's still so young. No wife, no kids. If you'll spare him, I will do anything you require of me in return. Just please, let him live! He's my best friend. My brother.
"Amen!"
Taylor rose to his feet and looked up to the cross, bowing to it before turning to leave.
Rose found him at the head of the ship, feet on the railing as he stared down into the ocean. She stopped to catch her breath, hoping not to startle him but struggling not to run to him and embrace him. She approached as slowly as she could. Each step feeling like an eternity to her.
She stopped when she got close enough to him.
"Hello, Jack."
Jack turned, slightly startled and surprised.
Rose smiled.
A true smile that reached from ear to ear.
"I changed my mind."
Jack felt his heart leap, unable to hold back the smile as he felt life being breathed back into his soul.
Rose walked to him, "They said you would be up here-"
"Shh!" Jack raised his finger to his lips and then reached for her hand. "Come here."
Though slightly startled, she took his hand.
"Now close your eyes."
She hesitated, curious as to what he was doing.
"Go on."
She smiled and did as he said, allowing him to led to the railing.
"Now, step up."
She allowed him to guide her, feeling her feet step up onto the railing.
"Keep your eyes closed. Don't peek."
Rose laughed, "I'm not."
He helped her up a little higher on the railing and got up on the same level as her, spreading his feet so that they didn't go over, while also keeping his hands just above her hips.
She couldn't help but blush at feeling his hands on her. She felt a little disappointed when his left hand moved to the cable right next to them for support.
"Hold on. Hold on. Keep your eyes closed."
She laughed again as the wind blew into his face.
"Do you trust me?"
Rose nodded, "I trust you."
Taking both of her hands and spreading them out in a T-pose, Jack then moved his hands back to her hips, supporting her.
Rose felt nervous at being so vulnerable, worried that she may fall over. But the moment she felt his hands back on her hips, the fear washed away.
"Alright," he whispered into her ear. "Open your eyes."
Slowly opening her eyes and adjusting to the sight before her, her eyes widened in awe and she gasped.
There was nothing but the open ocean ahead of her and the beautiful orange sky from the sunset. The sea passed beneath her, as if she were flying over it. The wind blew against her, sending a peaceful chill down her spine.
Removing his hands from her hips, he took both of hers into his own.
"It's beautiful!" she nearly shouted.
Jack smiled and nodded, completely captivated by her.
"Yes," he said, looking at her. "Beautiful."
They didn't dare move an inch that could ruin the moment.
Jack leaned in closer and began to sing 'Come, Josephine, In My Flying Machine', making Rose laugh. Then he took her hands and brought them to her stomach, along with his own. His left arm was around the cable, as support for them.
Staring out into the horizon, she slowly turned to meet Jack's eyes and got lost in the blue ocean just inches away. She turned her head to the side and leaned in, acting purely on autopilot. A part of her was against it, but a bigger part of her was wanting it. It was all she could think about.
Jack leaned in as well, staring deep into her eyes.
Their eyes closed the moment their lips were an inch apart and they felt the contact they've both been desiring when that inch was gone. Their lips crashed against each other under the orange sky of the sunset, oblivious to the cold wind against them.
Their lips parted, allowing their tongues to wrestle as they connected, lost to their intimate moment together.
Rose raised her hand to the back of his head, slightly tightening her hold on his hair to bring him closer. Her other arm moved to his hand, trying to get ahold of him, to feel more of him. His lips tasted like the sea; a sweetness that made her want more. So much more.
Taylor watched from afar as the two kissed at the prow of the ship, with the sun setting in the distance.
He had caught them just seconds before they had started kissing, hoping to speak with Jack. But he kept back in the shadows, just inches from the light. The last thing he wanted was to ruin their moment. Especially after the heartbreak that Tommy and Fabrizio said Jack was going through.
But now, it seemed that the young Rose had made her choice.
It was inspiring to see her take charge of her own destiny and break away from the bonds of her miserable life. Lord knows it would have taken so much strength and courage to do what she did. To choose which of the consequences she could live with.
But in witnessing this, he began to come to a bittersweet conclusion that his time with Jack was coming to an end. That their days of adventures together were numbered.
Even a blind man could see that Jack had found love through Rose, just as she through him. It was only natural that the two would go off to have their own adventures and settle down to raise a family. It was what he had hoped for him, after all. Even if it meant that he would have to leave him behind.
If they both live.
His smile fell at the realization that suddenly struck him.
What were the odds that their love would survive one of the worst tragedies in human history? Would both survive? Or only one?
And what about the others? Tommy? Fabrizio? Cora? Or the other fifteen hundred lives that hung in the balance?
His conversation with Prometheus came back to him, once again questioning everything the time-traveler had been telling him.
Could he change history and live with the consequences? Or could he live with the possibility that he may be dooming Jack's future? Or even Rose?
Maybe he could save both of them. Maybe Tommy, Fabrizio, and Cora as well. Maybe even more.
But what good was easing his conscience when so many more were going to die? What good was leaving his friends in the hands of fate when he could do something about it? What good was it to find a compromise that would do little to ease his suffering in the end?
He looked back at the two as they got off the railing and back onto the deck, laughing.
Seeing how happy Jack was with this woman was too much to handle, but he forced himself to watch them as they kissed again.
No!
His face narrowed at the two, a decision finally being reached as he watched them begin walking his way.
He moved into a corner, watching as they walked right past him, laughing as they held hands.
Damn the consequences!
If he was looking for an answer to his prayer, then this was as good as it was going to get.
He watched them walk down the deck, oblivious to his presence. Living in the moment. Just as all of humanity was supposed to.
This was all he needed to know about what he needed to do.
He would change fate. Change the outcome of what was supposed to happen. If he was going to be forced to live with the consequences of his actions, let it be the consequences he could live with the most. He would rather live in a reality where he tried to save lives than stand by to watch them die.
He knew deep down what this meant. The consequences that would follow. The hunt that would keep him running for as long as he lived.
But he was willing to live with it.
It was time for a new path. A new fate.
The prayer moment was inspired by a scene in 'Bad Boy For Life'. An amazing movie that completely topped my expectations as a 3rd film in the franchise. Highly recommend watching it and the other films.
In case if you are wondering: Yes, I am a Christian. Born and raised as one.
Anyway, this story is getting bigger as I write more chapters. I was expecting this to be a 10-part-story but it looks like it's going to get bigger. So who knows how many chapters it will be when it's done. But we are moving into the good bits and the finale that's coming up.
Hope you guys enjoyed reading this! See you in Chapter 9!