Jack smiled, knowing this was what would hurt Cal the most; his reputation. What else could he do, but smile? This wasn't the situation he had clearly envisaged, nor was it familiar of what to do with a gun aimed to him, but suddenly, there was a need to protect Rose with his life. Truth was, Jack had tried to stay out of trouble for years, since he had departed Wisconsin a couple of years before. The month which followed his parent's death he had brawled in the bars and ended up in fights with far too many puffy chested men to mention and despite the fact he was barely even fifteen; he had never escaped with more than bloody nose and a broken rib. The anger had stemmed from the loss of his mom and pops so young; how they were stolen from his life, and he would remain alone for the rest of his life. After leaving town, he had walked away from fights. He had seen many; living on the streets practically taught you not only to be tough, but to look after yourself. Now, the anger returned, and it spiralled in Jack's belly. The reminder that Cal had struck Rose's face, that he had hurt her in more ways than he possibly wished to even think about.

Jack took the camera and put it in his pocket. There wasn't a chance that he was getting his hands on it whether Cal pointed a gun in his face or not. The truth was all out in the open, regardless, Rose was his priority.

''Why? You scared this will destroy your reputation? You and that damned family of yours? Let people know just what dodgy, stupid schemes you guys have going? That it will out your affair with Cara?'' Jack came closer to Cal. He wanted to make him rage, see just what he had in him but instead he stood behind his cowardly gun. Wasn't that what all the Hockley's did?

Cal said nothing. Nor did his temper seem to raise. He just raised the Webley Revolver further to Jack's head, stepping closer. The gun clearly didn't belong to him, for it had his manservant's initials carved into the metal.

''Give it to me.''

Jack shrugged. Shaking his head. ''Fight me for it.''

Rose shook her head. ''No!'' She watched Jack, she had never seen this look on his face before, but she knew Cal's, better than anyone and he would fight to the death.

Suddenly, the man who Jack had heard so much about, a man who was so very feared, presented his fists. Cal was a man who threw very empty, light punches and without aimed precision, not unlike he would his trusted gun. What happened to fighting like a man?

The Revolver had been knocked to the floor, into the darkness amongst a pile of debris which Rose had knocked off, trying to escape Cal. She started to search on her hands and knees as she felt about in the dim light to find the cold metal of the gun.

Jack aimed for Cal's face, two or three times as he held him between his thighs. Blood flew about, his teeth crooked and then removed from another blow. Jack loosened his legs strength, kicking him to the side to lay out weakened. He groaned. He grasped his stomach. His face was a pulsating red mess. Going too far was not an option, with the camera tucked away in his pocket that was all that he needed for proof.

Jack joined Rose, on the floor, as he, too felt about for the gun to ensure that Cal would not be left with it, for who knows what else he wanted to do with it.

''Are you all right?'' Rose saw a scrape or two upon Jack's face, his shirt was ripped and Cal's blood stained the white collar and shoulders.

''Yes. Do not worry about me.'' Jack's voice was stern. The man before her was not one she had witnessed before but there was no fear. Jack had fought; for her.

''I can't find the gun,'' Rose's voice shook, ''I thought it was here.''

Jack's breathing grew erratic as the adrenaline refused to die down. Given the chance, he probably could have carried on reining punches on Cal's face. With chattering teeth, he focused on Rose, and searching for the cold metal in the darkness with a new quietness which had fallen over them.

''Are you looking for this?''

Cal stepped closer, up to the bed where Rose and Jack were searching. With a slow approach, dragging his body and a swollen face, he was still behind the weapon which he trusted the most.

Jack lowered his gaze, allowing him to approach. Wasn't that what he did to fight? You see their approach, scope them out and damned if he was about to lunge at him when Jack had probably cracked both of his cheekbones and every rib within that body.

Cal held the pistol almost to Jack's skin; the bloodied skin on his forehead but then Jack felt another hand wrap about his throat.

''I will not be leaving here empty handed.'' Cal pressed the cold metal to Jack's forehead and then – click. ''I will not leave without that damned camera.''

Jack was aware of Rose's blood curling scream but then – nothing. There was nothing there. No darkness engulfed him. That was a threat, Jack noted. The gun would not be loaded or perhaps he hadn't pulled the trigger far enough to release the bullet. The man would know his way around a gun.

Cal tightened the grip but there was nothing which came out of Jack; no choking, no spluttering. Nothing. His grip was weak, his hands trembling due to the extent of his injuries and the egoistic need to win. There was no thrill.

In almost slow motion, Rose started to hammer at Cal, throwing punches at him in such a way even Jack would have struggled to drag her off given the chance to. Her fists went at him, continuously and full of that fire.

''Get away from him!'' She screamed, even Jack saw how she had caught the places which were already covered in bruises. ''You are nothing but a damned coward. For hurting me, now hurting him...''

For a moment, Cal didn't act, or flinch knowing that showing so would kill his honour; a woman had hurt him, just as he had her, endlessly...over and over again.

''Take your hands off of him,'' Rose caught his cheek, then his lip, splitting it further open and blood started to pour down his face, to his neck and then soaking up into the dishevelled shirt.

''You little bitch,'' Cal shook his head calmly, as though dealing with the smallest of inconveniences and removed his hand from Jack's throat for a split second, to raise his hand to Rose to strike her cheek except as soon as he was free, Jack caught his hand, using his own body to move Rose from the way and even though he knocked her to the ground, he knew that she wasn't hurt. Jack stalled the hand from coming at him, twisting it to burn and then he using his elbow to wind him, Cal sank to one knee but then was back upon two within seconds, although a little slower. He extended his arm again, holding the cold metal to Jack's bare chest.

Rose watched, far back, allowing Jack to take the lead; trusting him with both of their lives. Nerves wracked her entire body.

''Go ahead. Finish me off. Take the camera. Destroy it. Keep on living your life as a spineless man. Take Rose as your wife. Do it all, I dare you, too.''

The latter was a taunt. A taunt which he knew couldn't be followed through for all along.

''Cowardly bastard.''

Cal smiled, revealing mostly bleeding gums.

''You know nothing of who I am or what I am capable of.''

''And you know nothing of me,'' Jack's voice was full of steel, ''you folk, you think your masters of the universe.'' Jack laughed.

''More so than you.''

Jack raised his eyebrow, his gaze fell to Rose, who was desperate to do something; he knew her that well. Her eyes spoke volumes in one single look to him. If unleashed, she would probably do more damage to Cal than he knew she was capable of and not because she was physically able to, but out of rage. Her cheek was glowing red, from Cal's hand that afternoon. There was no fear within those green eyes; only a need. The need perhaps for this to end, so that she could live her life. The need to see Cal hurt beyond means. The need to do something.

Laying hands upon Rose was the red which Jack saw. A knee in the stomach was all it had taken for him to be sent flying back and tumble over the bed, to the floor just beside Rose, who shifted aside quickly, pulling her silk dress skirt with her. The gun was pulled from his hand as he went. It was a single swoop. One which if blinked could be missed. Jack seemed to have been primed to make the move; as though it was premediated.

Cal steadily found his feet, his breathing ragged. The luxurious suit of which he wore was torn in various places. Rose pressed herself against Jack so tightly, he felt shudders wrack her. The anger inside of him had boiled over way too much.

''We can end this here and now. Just leave her be, let her go. There is no need to prove to anyone that you are a man. Your ego has been shot to hell now, don't you think?''

Cal reached forward to retrieve the gun. He aimed to go for it but Jack lunged forward knocking it from his grip and the smug look was soon wiped away from his face. Rose screamed as Jack was hit; laced into. Jack felt the blood trickle from his nose from the punch. There wasn't much hatred behind that. Wiping the stain away, he smiled. This wasn't a fight worth having. Again; he lunged for Cal, knocking him into the bed and throwing him over it in one swift move. The grace and fluid of his movements were a reminder of the young scrapping lad who lost his parents far too young. The boy who had taken sanctuary in the bar fighting others, taking his own anger out of a stranger's face. Then, he had been battered, broken and lost but now, there was a reason. Rose.

Cal put up a good fight, obviously not used to losing. His good clothes were ripped, his body aching now. He glanced to Rose, the woman who he had tried to do everything in his power for. She was the cause of this. She was the cause of everything.

''I thought you might have loved me, but I find you here, a whore to some gutter rat.''

''I'd rather be his whore than your wife.''

Cal felt his ego dint but still he laughed. He turned to Jack who he knew was behind him, reaching into the pocket of his shirt to retrieve the camera but Jack was quicker. He took it out and threw it on the bed. Cal lunged for Jack, but he moved out of the way. His aims were poor.

The stories of Jack Dawson's association with his fiancée had come to Cal's ears that morning, as soon as he had returned from his trip Ethan had been breathing down his neck. Cal had dismissed them all, knowing of his brother's reasons to exaggerate tiny matters; Cara. Cal had been with her longer, she had more interest in him. That was a problem for his brother, not that Ethan particularly wanted Cara, but the rivalry between them ensured that Cara would play them against each other. This time, Cal had believed Ethan's tell tale of Rose to be bull shit, it usually was but now in front of him, he saw Rose, the one person he had grown to love to torment. She was reaching for another man's hand, their fingers entwined. She had been with him. No doubt she would be in love with him too, he would have told her a fairy-tale story and she would have fallen into bed with him like a slut would.

''Yes, I suppose that you would. Because you could never be a whore for me, could you?''

''No, I never would.'' Rose's jaw tightened. ''I always said that you would never lay a hand on me. Never touch me that way and that was a promise that I would have kept even if it took it to my damned grave.''

''I have given you everything. if you could have opened your heart to me...''

''No,'' Rose laughed. ''You mean my legs, just as Cara did. That was all you wanted, wasn't it?''

Cal's rage was slowly bubbling, like a pan of water at boiling point. Rose stood at the side of Jack, almost united, like one. She had gone to another man. Poor little Rose, who usually cowered in a corner. Now, Caledon Hockley stood alone, Rose's engagement ring was no longer on her finger. Jack stroked his fingers over Rose's hand, Cal watched, back and forth, back and forth, in a slow rhythm and by the look of Rose's breathing, Jack was bringing her comfort. Rose was no longer bothered than Cal had been with other women, for she had been with another man. Her virginity was no longer his to take. Her fear was no longer present. Jack Dawson had given her confidence, the chance to stand up to him. She wasn't scared of him no more. His authority had been broken. It was laughable but Cal didn't find it funny one little bit. Then out of nowhere, he was pushed over the edge. His body stiffened as he ran to Jack, about to break him apart from Rose. To see them together was infuriating.

He went to push Jack at full force out onto the balcony, he would take him down all the way to the ground if he could, he would cover it up as a damned good accident, but as he ran, Jack moved to the left, pulling Rose with him, grasping her to him tightly. Cal ran onto the balcony, tumbling over the edge. Rose felt her stomach drop, as though she was floating in mid-air without a parachute. Had Cal gone over the edge? She didn't dare look. Jack's widened eyes answered her question and then the truth was revealed as they heard a sickening crack.

''Oh Jack!''

Rose screamed, her body shaking. She felt as though she had been run over and hit by a car at full speed, thrust mid-air into something she couldn't control. Jack ran to the balcony; he dared look over the side. He squeezed his eyes closed. Cal was dead. A pool of blood surrounded him on the lawn. He couldn't speak for a moment. This wasn't meant to happen.

''Is he—is?'' She couldn't speak. Couldn't move. Couldn't think. Not for a few seconds.

''Rose, we got to get out of here.'' Jack urged. She couldn't listen. She placed her hands over her face.

Rose shook her head. ''That-that could have been you.'' She managed. Jack quickly retrieved the camera and thrust it into his pocket. That was all he needed. The adrenaline which raged through his was causing his entire body to shake but he couldn't succumb to it, not whilst he still had rein on himself. It was true, it could have been him. Cal's plan would have been to shove Jack off the balcony, but somehow, he had foreseen it. Had found a way out.

''Jesus Christ!'' Jack whispered, shocking even himself. ''It's not. I am here.'' He grasped both of her hands in his. Rose was in so much shock, she struggled to face him. He shook her hands to get her out of the trance. To break the spell.

She nodded. ''Yes.''

''Listen, we got to get out of here, before anybody sees us.''

Rose seemed to understand his words and this time she shook her head. ''We can't. Lovejoy is downstairs.''

Jack felt his jaw tense. He glanced over the side of the balcony. ''Shit!'' He saw Cal's lifeless body and felt a cold shiver run through his body. He hadn't meant for any of this to happen. His own body was running on a large shot of adrenaline. ''We'll have to go over the side.''

''No.''

Jack grasped onto Rose's hands, stroking her face and he kissed her forehead just once. ''Listen to me, we have to. It's the only way out.''

Downstairs, Ruth had noticed that the screams and shouting had died down. Ruth's shaking hands seemed to have calmed. She took one glance at Lovejoy sat opposite her at the dining room table.

''I could do with a brandy,'' she told him stiffly, her voice low.

Lovejoy nodded. He stood from the dining room table, walking stiffly. ''As you wish, Mrs. Dewitt Bukater.'' Ruth watched as he went to the drinks cabinet to pour out two brandies. She narrowed her eyes. Something must have told her, perhaps instinct that this was her chance. His back was to her, as he calmly and slowly poured the liquor. She stood quietly from the chair, her bare feet tiptoeing on the thick carpet. She grasped the large vase of lilies which sat at the centre of the large wooden table, and she threw it, aiming for his head. A large splash of water and a crack ensured she knew Lovejoy had been hit but she didn't look once, she ran into the parlour and found the telephone, quickly she dialled 911 and didn't even give the operator chance to speak. She reeled off her address quickly, asking for help. Her voice was damn confident even though she was terrified and at any given moment, she expected Lovejoy behind her, pulling her back. She slammed the receiver back down before running upstairs to Rose's room. She had to see her daughter. She didn't know what she would finding waiting for her. As she burst open the door, she saw nothing. The balcony door was open, the nets floating about in the early morning wind. The room was empty. She glanced about, the mirror smashed, the vanity unit broken, a spilled glass of wine.

Cal's bottle of liquor was sat empty on the bed.

The sheets were completely messed up.

Just what had happened up here?

She shivered as she went to the balcony door and glanced about for signs of something. There must be something. Where had they gone?

''Rose? Cal?''

Ruth felt her head throb. In the distance, she could hear the sirens and she felt the relief wash over her. She rested against the balcony. Looking down at the lawn, she saw Cal. Her grass was stained with blood.

A long, loud scream could be heard but Ruth didn't even know if it was her or not. One thing was for sure, Caledon Hockley was dead.