Jack's hand gripped Rose's as they made their way back into the ballroom. This time, while everyone clapped, there was also indistinct chatter following them. Rose tried to ignore it, looking over at Jack, who was smiling but looking down at her with concern.
"It's okay now," he whispered. "He's gone. There's no way in hell he's marrying Betty, even if she does insist on an arranged marriage." Rose looked up and saw the sincerity in his eyes and nodded ever so slightly. "He's not going to hurt you, Rose. He can't."
Rose took a deep breath, then released it. She fought against the tears that threatened to spill again, trying to echo Jack's words in her head. It's okay. He's gone. Finally, she felt herself calm down, leaning into Jack and feeling lighter than she had a few minutes prior. "Do me a favor," she said quietly, still smiling as Jack walked with her to their table.
"Anything," Jack answered, and she knew he meant it.
They arrived at the table, and Rose floated to her seat, sitting down. Jack sat next to her, and she leaned closer to him. "For now, let's just pretend that all of that didn't happen." She stared at Jack, and he nodded, understanding. "We only have one engagement gala, and I want to enjoy it. We'll deal with everything else later."
Jack smiled at her, the pride he felt clear in his eyes. "Perfect," he said, lifting his champagne glass. "Cheers."
They clinked their glasses together, and Jack leaned forward and quickly kissed her before anyone could notice. "I love you, Jack," Rose whispered. "Thank you for always standing by me, no matter what."
Jack smiled. "I always will," he promised. "Forever."
xXx
The rest of the gala was a blur of champagne, dancing, and words for the couple. Now, it was the end of the night, and it was time to address everything that Jack and Rose had been avoiding.
Rose sat on the window sill in the library, watching as the crowds of people made their way to their cars, the chatter and excitement moving away from them, leaving them with the somber truths uncovered during the gala.
"Hey," a voice whispered, and Rose turned to find Jack standing right next to her. "Come with me." He put out his hand to take hers, and she opened her mouth to object, but he placed his finger against her lips. "Shh. Trust me."
Slowly, Rose placed her hand in Jack's, standing and following him down the hall, past the large entryway of the house, and into the ballroom. "No one's here, Jack," Rose said quietly, though her voice echoed. "What are we doing?"
The string quartet began to play, and Rose immediately smiled, recognizing the tune. It was Come Josephine, the song they had sung on Titanic. "May I have this dance?" Jack asked, bowing politely and putting out his hand for hers.
Rose giggled and curtsied. "I'd be honored," she smiled, placing her hand atop Jack's. He swept her up, floating with her across the marble floor of the now-deserted ballroom. He danced with her properly, exactly how Rose was used to. "Where did you learn to dance like this?" She asked, adding dancing to the long list of things Jack was effortlessly good at.
"You weren't the only one raised and groomed to be a proper member of high society," Jack said in a posh voice. Rose giggled, and Jack smiled at her, pulling her closer. "Have I mentioned that you look incredible this evening?"
"Yes, you have," Rose grinned, and Jack spun her around gently and fluidly. She moved her hand from his shoulder to the back of his neck, pulling him close enough that she could kiss him. "I know things tonight didn't go how either of us expected."
"Things often don't go the way we expect," Jack pointed out. "I got on an ocean liner expecting to relax in steerage with Fabrizio and then travel the country. But I met you, and we survived the sinking, and here we are." Rose smiled at him ever so slightly, but her eyes darkened as she remembered the sinking. "If we can't survive a little turmoil, a little unexpected drama, we're not going to work out once we're married. Because that won't be exactly what we expect either. Things happen." He pulled Rose closer, his hand moving from her waist to the small of her back. "But I know that no matter what happens, we'll get through it together, and it'll only make us stronger."
Rose kissed him gently, continuing to dance for the rest of the song. It ended sooner than either of them cared for it to, but they knew that the conversation they were putting off needed to be had. Jack could tell Rose was nervous, so he reached out and squeezed her hand. "It's going to be okay," he whispered as they walked to the reading room, where his family was likely gathered. "They'll understand."
Trying to believe that he was right, Rose forced a smile and a nod. She continued walking at his side all the way to the reading room, where Betty was sitting. His parents were nowhere to be found.
As soon as she saw them, Betty stood, staring at Jack and Rose. She could tell that Rose was still upset, that what had happened was scary for her. "I'm so sorry," she said quietly. "I had no idea you were… that he was…" she stammered, struggling to find the right thing to say. "I'm just sorry."
Rose shook her head. "Don't be sorry," she said, and she sat down on the couch. "Jack, can you close the door please?" Jack gave a nod, closing the door. "I'm going to explain everything to your parents about where I'm from and why we lied. But there are things that I don't think I'm ready to share with them, but that I'm going to share with you."
"You don't have to," Betty told her. "You don't owe me an explanation. Jack loves you, and so do we."
"Just listen, okay?" Rose took a deep breath, then began. "I grew up in high society. I didn't have parents like yours; I had parents that didn't care about me, that only cared about what I could bring them. My father wanted a son, so I was pretty much useless to him, and my mother just wanted me to behave and marry someone wealthy," she explained. "My father died when I was fifteen, and shortly after, my mother and I learned that his business had been failing, and that he had tons of debts to settle that we had no way of settling. So, my mother did the one thing she could think of, or at least the one thing that would give me all the responsibility over her: marry someone who was desperate for a wife, who would be willing to settle those debts.
"That man was Cal," Rose explained, and Betty's eyes widened. "He was nearly double my age, he was angry and abusive, and he only saw me as a possession rather than as a person. But my mother saw someone who had money, someone who would be willing to do what we needed. And that was all that mattered to her.
"I didn't see any way out of the life that had been decided for me. I could only see a life of never being given a voice, being told what to do, and being treated as a business opportunity. So… I did the one thing I thought to do: I tried to kill myself."
"He made you that miserable?" Betty asked.
Rose nodded. "He and my mother both did," she told her. "When I was at my lowest, when I thought that ending my life was a better option than living in it for one more moment, I met Jack." She turned to Jack, smiling at her fiance. "He showed me what my life could really be like, and that I could have control over my life, if I was willing to fight for it. He told me that he'd do anything he could to help me. And… we fell in love." She wiped a tear from her eye, staring at Jack. "I owe him my life. He saved me in every way a person can be saved."
Rose turned back to Betty. "After that, a lot happened… things that I won't bore you with now. But needless to say, Cal was not willing to give up easily. He tried to get me back, he tried to get Jack arrested for a crime he didn't commit. And when none of that worked, he chased us with a gun." Betty's eyes widened.
"I don't know why you insist on an arranged marriage, rather than falling in love organically, especially if your parents would support you either way. But if you really do want this, just… don't choose Cal. Don't do that to yourself." Betty gave a quick nod. "I know I haven't known you for very long, but you're an amazing person, Betty, and you're full of life and kindness and energy. I'd hate to see Cal beat that out of you." Rose paused, gathering herself. "Do it for Jack, who will never stop worrying about you if you do this. Or me. Because if Cal is in my life, I'll never be able to recover from any of what he did to us. But mostly, do it for yourself. Please."
Betty wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "I won't marry him," she gave Rose a small smile, and Rose smiled right back. "I called it off with him the moment he started talking badly about you." Rose couldn't help but smile at that. "I haven't known you for long, but you make my brother the happiest I've ever seen him. You brought him back to us. Anyone who will do that comes first."
Rose reached out and squeezed Betty's hand. "Thank you."
"I want to explain why I want an arranged marriage," Betty began, and she looked over at Jack. "I know no one understands it. I know it doesn't make sense. I know that if my parents would be okay with me marrying anyone, I should take advantage of that." Betty looked back at Rose, taking a deep breath. "I don't feel the way I'm supposed to for men. I feel that way about women," she explained, and Rose nodded slowly. "It's not something anyone knows about. Only Jack knows. Not even my parents know."
"Wouldn't they understand?" Rose asked.
Betty nodded. "That's the problem," she began. "They would understand. They'd tell me that they support me no matter what, that being unhappy my whole life is no way to live. But I can't do it. I want to be successful, I want to work with Jack on the family business. I want to make a difference for other women like me and you, who don't want to be silent, who want to be able to work. But to do that, I need to conform to some of the rules. I need to work within the system to change it."
"That's not fair to you," Rose answered. "I admire your brave choice, but it's one you shouldn't have to make. You should be able to do everything you want both professionally and personally."
"That's what Jack always tells me," Betty smiled at her brother. "And I wish I could. But it's just not practical. If I forget about working with Jack and Father, I could be with someone that I feel romantically for, but it won't be enough. I'll feel like I'm missing something, and that's not fair to me or the person I'm with."
"But you think that if you forget about romance or love, and only focus on the business, that you can be happy?" Rose asked.
Betty shrugged. "I honestly don't know," she told Rose. "What I hoped to do was marry a man who needed an heir, and after that, I could pursue whatever and whoever I wanted, as long as I kept it quiet. Based on what you've told me about Cal, that wouldn't have been him."
Rose sat and thought about everything she had just heard. "Give me some time," she told Betty. "Give me, let's say, six months. We're going to figure this out. We're going to figure out a way for you to have it all."
Betty stared at her. "Haven't you been listening?" she asked. "There is no way to have it all. There's no such thing. There's no such thing for any woman, unless you find someone like Jack. But there's certainly no way for someone like me to have it all."
Rose smiled at her. "Give me a chance."
"She's right, Betty," Jack told his sister, pleading with her along with Rose. "Once Rose sets her mind to something, she always finds a way. Don't doubt her."
Rose grinned at Jack. "That's what happens when you fall in love with a spoiled brat," she teased.
While Jack was right, that Rose could achieve anything she believed she could, what he didn't know was that she hadn't always been that way. Before she met Jack, she would have given up with Betty. But now, she knew, if you fight for what you care about, you can achieve it.
xXx
A knock came at the library door, and standing there were Anna and William, still dressed in their fancy outfits from the gala. They both looked so much like their children, both having different qualities that were copied into their children. What Rose always noticed first was their kindness, the way you could tell they were kind, just by looking at them.
"Sorry to bother you," Anna said quietly. "Are you ready to talk?"
Rose nodded. "Yes, I think we are," she sat next to Jack, feeling more at ease as soon as he wrapped his arm around her. Anna and William sat on the couch across from them, and Betty sat in the chair between them. "First of all, I'd just like to say that I'm sorry about how everything unfolded tonight, and how you found out about everything. I know my running off was likely humiliating for you, and I just want you to know that I'm sorry."
Anna waved away the apology. "Don't apologize," she said kindly. "It happens. Things happen in ways we don't always mean for them to. We just want to know what the truth is."
"And just to add to that," William began. "I know we haven't known you that long, and I know I have had my concerns about your relationship, but I've seen how you two love each other and care about each other. I've seen how you protect each other." Jack and Rose looked at each other, smiling ever so slightly. "It's just hard for me, as a parent, to hear that someone who my son cares very deeply for has been lying to us all."
"I completely understand," Rose answered him. "I didn't do it with the intention to deceive any of you. I did it because I was afraid, and I didn't see what other option I had. I always intended to tell you the truth eventually, I promise." She tried to organize her thoughts, to stay calm, and to sound sincere and sympathetic to their feelings. So far, she thought she was doing well.
"I was raised in Philadelphia society, my parents were John and Ruth Dewitt Bukater. I don't know how familiar you are with them, but neither of them ever loved or cared about me. They only wanted me to act like every other high society young lady: go to finishing school, marry rich, and behave myself. And I could never do it. I was always a disappointment to them," Rose explained, and she felt Jack's arm tighten around her ever so slightly, likely out of protectiveness. "When my father died, he left behind bad debts that neither my mother nor I could settle, and as a result, my mother forced me to accept a proposal from Cal Hockley. He needed a wife, he needed an heir, and we needed money.
"He was horrible to me. He abused me, he threatened me, he made me want to die," Rose explained, and she looked at Anna, whose face showed the pain she felt for Rose. "Jack saved my life. I met him when I was at my lowest, and we fell in love. Then, I had no idea who he really was. I had no idea he was a member of your family, or that he was the heir of such a prestigious family. As far as I knew, he was a penniless artist. But that didn't matter to me. I still loved him, and I still wanted to run away from Cal and start a new life with him, which I did.
"Shortly after, I became quite ill. Jack took care of me, trying to help me recover any way he could," Rose explained. "But the only way to ensure that I recovered fully was to be somewhere safe, warm, and dry. Somewhere he could provide me with the care that I needed. And that was when he told me who he was."
Rose looked at Jack, smiling ever so slightly, then looked back at Anna and William. "I know what I did is scary for you both, and I know that my lies make you hesitant to support our marriage. But the reason I lied was because before tonight, Cal and my mother both thought I was dead, and I was afraid if they found out, they'd separate us, they'd drag me back to my old life. Cal could try to kill Jack. And I couldn't risk any of that happening."
"I understand, Rose," William said finally. "I do. But do you see how this looks? You put my- our- son in danger. Cal could've killed Jack for taking his fiance. I know men who would do that." Of course, William had no idea how right he was. "He could've been killed."
"I have to interject here," Jack chimed in. "I involved myself. I told Rose I wanted to help her escape. I told her to leave Cal, to run away. I fell in love with her just as much as she fell in love with me."
William shook his head. "You can't help it, Jack!" He answered. "You don't see the bad in people. You want to help anyone, regardless of whether they deserve it or not."
"I'm not some helpless child!" Jack shot back, his voice increasing in volume. "I'm twenty years old. I've traveled the world on my own, I've survived more than anyone has ever given me credit for, and I'm capable of everything you think I need protecting from." He turned to Rose, his eyes softening as he did. "Nothing could've stopped me from falling in love with Rose or from wanting to save her. Nothing. And she saved my life too, at least as much as I saved hers."
Jack turned back to his father. "I love you, Pa. I know that everything you've said has been because you love me and because you're concerned. But please, just don't be. I love Rose, and Rose loves me. And that's all that matters now."
Anna turned to William. "Darling, just give them your blessing," she said, agreeing with Jack. "We all love Rose, and we all know that they love each other. And we also know that if it wasn't for Rose, Jack would still be out there, all alone." She took her husband's hand, giving it a squeeze. "Just give in."
William sighed, squeezing Anna's hand. "I'm sorry," he said finally, turning to Jack and Rose. "I know you both love each other, and I know you have no ulterior motives, Rose. I'm just worried about my son." He looked at Jack and gave a slight smile. "I support this. You two deserve happiness, and you deserve to be married."
Jack smiled, pulling Rose closer to himself, kissing the top of her head. He lowered his lips to her ear, whispering, "I told you it would all be alright."
Rose smiled, wrapping her arms around Jack. Everything was alright now, Jack was right. They had each other, and that was all that would ever matter.
A/N: I know that including queer characters is not so common in our fandom, but I really wanted to explore that and include a queer OC. I am going to try to keep it as historically accurate and realistic as possible, but if there is something that is inaccurate, please let me know!