When Jack and Rose returned, they found Lily in the kitchen eating more cookies and another glass of milk. Tommy was with her, talking to her about his boyhood in Ireland and Fabrizio was in his room writing a letter home to his mother.
"We're back!" Rose announced, laughing when Lily came running out of the kitchen and into her arms.
"Momma Rose! Uncle Tommy pulled a girl's hair!" Lily declared.
"Ah, Lass, that was way back when I was a boy and didn't know how to tell lass that I liked them. Secret, little boys are idiots when comes to liking lassies," Tommy laughed.
"That is the truth. At least you didn't drop frogs down their dresses," Jack grinned, remembering his own boyhood exploits.
"Jack! I am surprised!" Rose laughed, pleased that she was learning about Jack's childhood without even having to ask.
"Well, Tommy said it. Little boys are idiots when it comes to liking lassies," Jack winked. "But they should grow out of it by adulthood, so there's no excuse for your ex."
"Of course," Rose shook her head, cuddling the little girl. "Anyway, Lily, Jack, and I have news for you...well for everyone."
"Where's Fabri?" Jack looked around for the Italian, wanting him to be part of the news as well.
"I'm here," Fabrizio came downstairs and finished with his letter.
"Rose and I have some news and it has to do with you guys because we'll probably need you as witnesses and Fabri you're my best man and Tommy can give Rose away and…," Jack began talking nonstop.
Rose laughed and placed a hand on Jack's arm. "Slow down, I think you're confusing them even more than they already are."
"You have that about right, lass," Tommy gave a nervous chuckle. "What's this about giving you away?"
"First, we'll give you the big news. Since people in town think that we're married thanks to my using Jack's last name, we thought it'd be a good idea to make it official," Rose explained.
"What?"
"We're getting married as soon as possible. We want to go down to Eau Claire and say vows. Make it all official. Of course, we'll wait until you guys have time off again, but I want you guys to stand up there with me. Fabri can be my best man and Tommy you can give Rose away and Lily is our little flower girl…"
"So you will be my new daddy?" Lily asked looking back and forth between Rose and Jack.
Jack smiled, his face heating in a slight blush. "I suppose I will be. You don't mind, do you? I know I can't take the place of your original daddy, but I'll take really good care of you. Of you and Rose."
Lily just smiled and nodded her head. She remembered Jack from Titanic and liked him. He was a familiar face to her. Besides, could she really say no? For the first time in a year, Momma Rose looked so relaxed and happy ever since they came here and for once, Lily felt like they had really found a home.
"This is great and all, boy-o. One question, though. What about Fabri and me? Are you gonna want us to find somewhere else to go? You two will be newlyweds and you'll want this place to yourselves," Tommy had to ask. He didn't feel comfortable just assuming that Jack would still want them there now that his girl was back in his life.
Jack frowned. He hadn't really even considered asking the guys to leave. Why would he? They were as good as family, his brothers! He wouldn't know what to do without them!
"I want you to stay right here with us of course. I mean, you guys are my family. My brothers. I don't want you to be anywhere but here with us! Who will tell Lily about Ireland, huh? Who will teach Rose how to make all those Italian pasta dishes? Who will I play poker with or just have another guy who knows what we went through around to talk to, or just sit with when it all gets too much? I need you guys."
"And so do me and Lily," Rose spoke up, not wanting Tommy and Fabrizio to go as well. She genuinely liked them and she considered them her friends as well. Right now, they were her only friends. "I don't have many friends….well, I don't have any friends, especially these days. I don't want to say goodbye to the ones I do have."
"Ah lass, you'll make more. The people here are a friendly bunch," Tommy felt like he should reassure the redhead.
"Well, I suppose you're right...but...it's not the same. You two...you know the truth of what Jack and I and even Lily here have gone through. No one else will get it...not like you do."
"We're the Titanic five, you can say," Jack's smile was grim. Rose spoke the truth. No one would know the experience of Titanic...not like the five of them did. It gave them a bond that could probably never be broken.
"The Titanic five," Tommy pursed his lips, stroking his chin. "I kind of like the sound of that. It's like we're a part of a club."
"A club that no one asked to join," Fabrizio stared at the floor, his thoughts again returning to Helga.
"We should stick together," Rose nodded.
"Please stay. Both Rose and I want you here," Jack's voice was on the edge of pleading. He needed Tommy and Fabrizio to stay. He couldn't explain why. He just needed to know that they were alive and well. That they were indeed survivors and he could only be sure of that if they lived with him. He had lost so many people already in his life. He did not want to lose them.
"We stay. Right Tommy," Fabrizio nodded, seeing the emotion in Jack's eyes. Understanding him. How could he not when he felt the same.
"If it's not a bother. As long as you still want us here."
"We do," Jack walked over and hugged the Irishman whom he had grown to think of as his brother. "We wouldn't have it any other way. He pulled away and grinned. "Besides, you guys helped me get Rose. Now you can help me keep her."
"My services are yours if you need them."
"Lily, I hope that you haven't been stuffing yourself with cookies," Rose placed the girl back on her feet.
Both Tommy and Fabrizio looked at each other guiltily. "She seems to like chocolate chip."
"Sorry Rose…"
"Not to worry. By the time dinner is ready, her appetite will be back." At least she hoped so.
"Why don't I make something kid-friendly tonight. Mac and cheese and hot dogs?" Jack offered, ready to start his role as a parental figure.
"You cook Jack?" Rose stared, surprised. What could this man not do?
"Of course. It was just Fabri and me on the road. We had to know how to cook if we wanted to eat something other than pub food," Jack shrugged.
"Well, Lily. It looks like I've found the perfect man. Not only is he handsome, but he cooks too!" Rose giggled. "I wonder what else he can do."
"Can he tell night stories as papa did?" Lily's eyes lit up at the prospect of someone telling her bedtime stories.
"I can try...even though I have a feeling that Uncle Tommy's stories are a lot better than mine can ever be," Jack grinned.
Tommy just rolled his eyes and smiled as well, feeling touched at the thought of being called Uncle Tommy. "That I can do, but I bet boy-o here can draw you a real pretty picture. He's quite the artist that one."
"I can draw her anything she wants," Jack grinned, kneeling down so he and Lily were face level. "How about I show you to your room so we can plan how to decorate it for you, would you like that?"
The little girl just smiled and nodded.
Jack lifted the little girl into his arms, holding her with one hand and taking Rose's hand with the other. "Come along, my girls. Let me show you to your humble abode."
Tommy and Fabrizio stood there and watched as Jack and Rose took Lily upstairs to show them where they'll be sleeping.
"Well, it looks like we'll have some female energy around this place. What do you think, Fabri? Good thing?"
Fabrizio just nodded, missing Helga more than ever. He couldn't help but wonder if they would be expecting a bambino of their own right about now if things had been different. "Jack is lucky. I wish the rest of us had that luck."
Feeling bad for his friend, Tommy placed a hand on his shoulder. "You'll find a lass again, someday mate. Just wait. It won't hurt forever. You'll find a lass that will complete you again. I just know it. Heck, maybe we both will at the same time. Wouldn't that be ace? Then Jack can be our best man."
Fabrizio simply smiled, knowing that Tommy was trying to make him feel better. He appreciated the effort, but he didn't think he'll ever get over losing Helga and thinking about what could have been. But at least he was part of this strange little family that was taking shape. He wasn't completely alone. For that, he was grateful.