Not wanting to waste any time, Jack escorted Rose to the boarding house to retrieve her and Lily's belongings.

"Jack Dawson?" Mrs. Tilson stared, not expecting to find the young man with the pretty redhead that had just arrived the night before with the little girl.

"Hello, Mrs. Tilson. How are you," Jack politely smiled, hoping that there would not be too many questions about himself and Rose. He didn't want to lie, but there may not be a choice.

"I am fine, but what is going on here? I was not expecting to see you here. Do you know this young lady? If you're dating, I have to insist that you wait down here. You know my rules. I am sure that your two housemates could recite them to you if need be," The elderly woman placed her hands on her hips, eyeing Jack suspiciously. Jack was never a mischievous boy, but a pretty girl like this young lady and a young man like Jack could lead to scandal in such a small town.

"Actually, she's my wife," Jack simply stated, inwardly wincing at the lie, but he didn't want to spend any more time apart from Rose and that would happen if they told the truth. "The accident that separated me from Tommy and Fabrizio, Rose was there as well...and like I thought that Tommy and Fabrizio were dead, I had thought Rose and our daughter had perished as well. You can imagine my surprise when they showed up at the house…"

"So you're married?" Mrs. Tilson looked at them both suspiciously. "That child is yours?"

"Yes, we married last year and we adopted Lily. A family friend had died leaving her with us...but the accident...I thought that it had taken them both from me, but they're here! You can't imagine how happy I am right now."

"Is this true?" Mrs. Tilson looked at Rose, something not sounding right to her.

Rose simply nodded. "Yes, it is. I thought he had died and I came here searching for some information about him. Stories about his childhood and adolescence. I...was heartbroken. I nearly fainted when I found him alive and well at the Dawson farm. Now I feel like I can breathe again."

"Oh you poor dear," Mrs. Tilson's cold exterior melted. "I knew there was something about you. A sense of tragedy it was. Now you seem so much happier. I am happy for you and welcome to Chippewa Falls. You will find that this is just the right home to raise a child."

"Thank you," Rose smiled, leaning a little against Jack, just wanting to be as close to him as possible. "Judging from Jack, I can tell the people here are kind and compassionate. I am sure that this will make a great home to raise Lily."

"Shall we go get your things now?" Jack motioned for the stairs, wanting to get Rose away from the nosey old lady as soon as possible.

"Oh, of course. I don't want Lily to think that I've abandoned her."

"She'll be okay. Tommy seems to be good with her," Jack kissed her cheek before bidding Mrs. Tilson goodbye and allowing Rose to lead him to what was her and Lily's home the night before.

"That was close," Rose sighed, closing the door behind her, relieved to be away from the landlady's curious gaze.

"I hated lying to her, but there was no choice. I wonder how many people we're going to have to spin a tale to…"

Rose sighed, feeling guilty. Jack wouldn't have had to lie if she hadn't taken his last name the way she had. "I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't mean for you to have to lie."

"Don't be sorry. I'll tell a thousand lies if it meant us peacefully being together," Jack simply smiled. "So let's grab your things so we can get out of here. The fewer people we talk to the better, at least until we get our story cemented. Mrs. Dawson."

"I have a feeling you like saying that," Rose giggled, watching as Jack grabbed Lily's small duffle bag.

"Maybe I do. Mrs. Dawson. It has a nice ring to it if I do say so myself."

"I have definitely grown used to it, to be honest. So has Lily."

Jack smiled, happy that she liked his name paired with hers. "How would you like to make it official?"

Rose paused in what she was doing and looked at Jack with wide eyes, not wanting to assume anything. "What do you mean?"

"Would you like Dawson to be your real last name? I mean, we don't have to if you don't want to. I mean, people think we are anyway and at this point, it probably is just a piece of paper, but...I love you, Rose. I love you so much and this past year cemented to me that what we have was and is real. I never moved on from you. I never forgot what we shared. It's been with me all this time...it's something I thought that I had lost and would never find again. But you're here, back in my life and it's like I can breathe again. The sun has returned to my life and I never want to let it go."

"Jack…"

"Marry me, Rose. Fuck, I'm being so unromantic right now, I know. I have no ring, no fancy gala, so romantic setting….I just have me and these feelings for you and...I want to tell the world that you're my wife and know that it's true. That we're husband and wife and Lily's ours and there never be a question of it…"

"Yes."

"And...what?" Jack blinked, nearly missing her answer.

Rose giggled. He was so cute, standing there with wide, earnest blue eyes. "I said yes. Yes, I will marry you. I'd marry you right now if I could. There's no other answer than yes, Jack!"

They dropped the bags they were holding and met each other in a tight embrace.

"Oh excuse me," Mrs. Tilson gasped, standing in the doorway. She had been curious and wanted to see if the couple may have needed any help, she was going to send her son to help carry whatever needed to be carried. She hadn't been expecting to find the couple embracing, both having tears in their eyes. "Am I interrupting?"

Rose pulled away, deciding to be the one to answer. She wasn't going to make Jack lie anymore. She'll do it for him. Besides, it really wasn't lying. "No...I...we again were talking about how much we had missed each other. Neither of us forgot what we have and...it just feels so good to be together again. I never loved anyone like I love Jack."

"Aw, so sweet. Young love. I am happy for you both. After so much tragedy, it is good to see the Dawson family thriving again. Irene was a friend of mine and she would have loved you," Mrs. Tilson sadly smiled, remembering her friend.

Jack sadly smiled, remembering his mother. She had been a kind, compassionate woman, always ready with a warm hug for her son. He remembered cold winter days accompanied by the scent of peppermint and chocolate as his mother served him cookies and hot cocoa. A kiss on his cheek or forehead as she had sent him off to school or out to play. Praise for his art. She had been the very model of the kind of woman to look for. "I agree. She would have loved you, Rose. And you would have adored her. I wish she was here to meet you."

"I wish I could have met her too. She raised a good man," Rose tenderly touched his cheek, seeing a hint of tears in his eyes.

"I had lost her too soon. Both of them…"

Feeling guilty for bringing such sadness to the couple, Mrs. Tilson excused herself and left the pair alone.

"Maybe you can tell me about them."

"I will. Soon. But for now, let's get out of here. Lily is probably wondering where you are."

Rose nodded, getting her bag as Jack retrieved Lily's. "This is all. We didn't really accumulate much in our travels."

"Do you think she'll start calling me papa Jack?"

Rose nodded, touched that Jack was really taking his place in Lily's life seriously. Or at least it seemed so. "Of course. You're going to be a great papa, Jack."

"One can only hope," Jack winked, leading the way out of the room.

…..

Lily was eating a peanut butter sandwich at the kitchen table when Tommy realized that Fabrizio had gone quiet. Curious about where the Italian had gotten off to, Tommy went to search for him. He found him on the back porch, staring off into the distance, his brown eyes sad.

"Hey, what are you doing out here, mate?" Tommy asked, standing next to him.

"I was thinking. Jack got his Rose back today. She survived. But Helga, still gone," Fabrizio sighed. He was happy for Jack. It had been a hard year for them both and having Jack's company in grief had dulled the pain of losing Helga some, but Jack's Rose was alive and she had come back to Jack. His friend was happy and that was good. But that had nothing for the grief he had felt over losing Helga.

"I'm sorry, mate. She was a right beauty, that one. You and Jack had both lucked out when it came to finding love on that barmy ship. Too bad that only one of ya could walk away with a lass. You don't think that she could have…"

"No. No, she's gone. I would have found her on the rescue ship if she was still here. Helga was not like Rose. Rose had to hide. Helga didn't. All the Dahl's are gone."

"I'm sorry, mate," Tommy repeated, feeling bad for his friend. In a way, he was lucky. He hadn't fallen in love on that ship. He hadn't lost someone. The heartache that his two friends had suffered and one was still suffering hadn't touched him.

"But at least Jack has his Rose now, and with bambino. He'll be happy."

"That he will. Just makes me wonder...where will that leave us? You don't think he'll still want us around, do you? I mean...why would he?" Tommy frowned, it suddenly hitting him that maybe Jack would want the house for himself and Rose only and won't want him and Fabrizio to stick around anymore. It'd be a right shame if that was the case. He was getting used to this life he had found in the states.

"We are Jack's brothers. He will still want us with him."

"How do you know?"

"I know Jack. We became brothers. You became a brother. Jack has little to no family, so when you become family to him, it's for good. He will still want us here. Because we family."

Fabrizio's words touched Tommy. When he had decided to remain here with Jack and Fabrizio, it never occurred to him that the pair would think of him as more than just a new friend that they had met on a ship. He had never expected to be considered part of anyone's family. "Jack's a good man."

"That he is. Even though he gets me in trouble."

"What trouble has he gotten you into? Lately?"

"None...but he was grieving. Now he is happy again...which means he will get me in trouble, like always. Just you wait," Fabrizio grinned, giving Tommy a wink.

"It is possible to say no to any crazy plan he comes up with you know."

"Like you said no when he wanted us to help him get back in first class to see Rose?" Fabrizio arched a brow.

"Well, that was different. I was sticking it to the swells at the time."

"Of course, you were," Fabrizio laughed.

"Wanker."

"Uncle Tommy?" Lily stood in the doorway, a thumb in her mouth. "Where's mama Rose?"

"Aw Lass," Tommy went to scoop the little girl up into his arms. "She went to get your things. I believe that you two will be staying here from now on. Would you like that?"

Lily nodded, then frowned. This was the first time that she found someone who she was familiar with and wasn't ready to go somewhere where she didn't know anyone. "Will you be here too?"

"Wild horses can't drag me away, lass," Tommy winked. He looked at Fabrizio and reached over to give his friend's shoulder a squeeze. "I am sorry about Helga, mate. But give it time. Someday, it won't hurt so much and you'll be able to find happiness again."

"I hope you are right, amico."