ONE - CHIPPWEA FALLS

Mid August 1920

Rose stepped off the train as it arrived in Chippewa Falls. Holding on to her luggage she left the station. She reached the exit and looked around, unsure what to do, or where to go.

Rose decided to come to Chippewa Falls when she was told that in order for her marriage to end, she must leave Philadelphia and never return. She remembered Jack speaking such fond memories of where he grew up so she decided to head there, if nothing else, she would feel closer to Jack, wouldn't she?

She looked around her and saw a bed and breakfast 'rooms available' the sign said. She decided she would stay there a while, until she could find a place of her own.

"Good afternoon" the lady behind the counter smiled

"Hi" Rose smiled "I was just wondering if you had a room available?"

"Well of course, I have one just up the stairs to the left. It's simple but homely, has everything you need. Breakfast and dinner is included in the price and served 7am-10am, dinner between 5.30-7.30pm. It's 2 dollars a night, I hope that's OK?"

"That's wonderful, thank you" Rose smiled, reassured by the lady's kindness. Cal sent her away with some money when she left, in order to keep her away from Philadelphia, the only thing she had ever been grateful for from Cal.

"Fantastic! First, can I just take your full name please?"

Rose paused, she couldn't say her surname was Hockley… Rose Hockley was supposed to be dead… she couldn't say Rose DeWitt Bukater either, everyone knew that the once Rose DeWitt Bukater then became Rose Hockley… even in a small town such as this one.

"Dawson… Rose Dawson"

"Dawson, you say? Any relation to Jack Dawson?" Rose froze. She didn't want to say yes, she also didn't want to say no.

"Erm-" she stuttered

"Jack… blonde hair… late 20s… lives up the hill?" the woman quizzed then stopped herself "Sorry, I'm intruding, I'll show you to your room" she smiled and helped Rose with some of her stuff up the stairs. Rose followed slowly, did this lady not know Jack had gone down with the Titanic? But… she was talking about him in present tense?

Once Rose entered her room, she tried to unpack, but her mind wouldn't stop. She couldn't stop thinking about the lady talking about Jack as though he were still here 'lives up the hill' not 'lived'. Rose sighed and gave up unpacking, grabbing her coat and deciding to go for a walk.

She walked past the desk and she left, seeing the woman, unsure whether to ask but figured she had nothing to loose.

"Excuse me?" She said nervously

"Yes, dear?" The lady smiled up

"Jack Dawson… are you able to tell me where I can find him please?"

"Sure, go out this door, straight up the hill, until you can't go any further, turn right then left. The house is on a road with 3 others, his is the one with the brown door"

"Thank you" she smiled gratefully and left. This couldn't be her Jack could it? No. He was dead. He'd been dead 8 years, but something was telling her to go and check the house out, to know for sure that he was gone.

—

She reached the end of the drive way and just stood for a minute. Looking at the house. It was as Jack had described it on the Titanic. Was he alive? Was he really in that house?

She took a deep breathe and walked towards the door. She knocked quietly, she thought about running off, like a child playing knock-a-door-run, she was worried who might answer the door.

A few moments passed and Jack - her Jack - opened the door. He was holding what appeared to be a newborn over his shoulder. He looked tired and was clearly in the middle of doing something. But he froze in his tracks when he saw Rose. He felt his legs begin to go. If he didn't have to concentrate on the baby he was holding, he believed he would have collapsed.

"R- Rose?"

I GOT THE IDEA OF FAKING ROSE'S DEATH FROM ANOTHER ACCOUNT. I'm so sorry, I can't remember the username, but if was yourself, PLEASE let me know & I will give credit. Thank you x