17

Night had fallen and after a long silent ride, Jack, Rose, and Cillie has finally made it back to the boarding house. Mrs. Gladys was surprised to see Cillie, but made no objections to her sharing a room with Jack and Rose. After much discussion, the decision was made that the two women took the bed and Jack took the floor where he now layed, his mind still reeling from the cruel comment George had made about his father. Hot tear ran down his face as he remembered all the times his father had taken him for walks by the lake, telling him all the ins and outs of being a real man.

Rose layed awake next to the sleeping Cillie, listening to Jack’s quiet sobs. She knew this was about his father. She’d like to scratch George’s eyes out for hurting Jack like he had. Slipping out of bed, Rose slid down next to Jack and wrapped her arms around him, wanting to comfort him in his grief.

"Shhh Jack. It’s alright. Everything’s alright now," Rose softly cooed, remembering that Jack had once said the same thing to her on that horrible night Titanic sank.

"My father was a great man Rose. He was," Jack wrapped his arms around her, accepting her warmth and comfort.

"I know Jack. I know," Rose kissed his forehead.

"He raised me the best way he could."

"I know Jack. He raised you to be a good, brave, caring man. He would have been so proud of you Jack. Especially when Titanic sank…he would have been beaming with pride."
"You think?"
Rose hugged him tighter and smiled. "I know."

"You are so wonderful. You know, I think he sent you to me. I do. He saw that I would need you."

"Or that I needed you. I love you Jack Dawson and I thank God everyday that he sent you to me. Even though it almost got you killed."
"I would have died gladly for you Rose."
"I know. I would do the same for you. Time and again."

Cillie layed in bed, listening to the quiet whispers of the couple, wishing that she had met a man like Jack. Someone kind and chivalrous. Knowing that Rose wouldn’t be back in the bed she moved over into the middle of the bed and fell asleep to the sound of soft whispers of endearments between Jack and Rose.

*

The next morning Jack went downstairs to find George setting at the table in front of a glass of orange juice. Not saying a word, Jack went to the stove and fixed himself a cup of coffee.

"Working today?" George looked at his cousin who barely looked at him. He felt horrible after yesterday. He knew what he said had hurt his cousin and now he regretted it deeply. Where Jack had shown him nothing but love and friendship, George had shown his nasty side.

"Yes," Was Jack’s flat voice

"Cillie here?"

"Maybe," another cold answer.

"Jack…I’m sorry for what I said yesterday. It was uncalled for and cruel. I was just angry."

"I have to get to work. Later," Was Jack’s reply as he left, just as Rose came down the stairs. Rose frowned, Jack never left without waiting to kiss her good-bye. Turning around she saw the reason why setting in the kitchen.

"Waiting for Cillie I assume?" Rose crossed her arms.

"Is she here?" George asked.

"Yes, but she’s asleep and I don’t know if she wants to see you or not," Rose poured herself a glass of orange juice.

"I guess you’re mad at me too for what I did to Cillie."
"And Jack. You hurt him bad George. He was so upset last night…how could you? How could you hurt him by talking about his father like that?"

"I don’t know. I don’t know what got into me."

"Well whatever it was made Jack cry and I’ll never forgive you for that!"

George looked at Rose who was glaring back angrily and knew that he had really hurt his cousin and there was no way to repair the damage. I’m sorry wasn’t going to cut it.

"What do you want?" Mrs. Gladys glared at George.

"I came to see my wife. Then I will leave." George flatly replied.

"Your Uncle would turn in his grave if he saw how you treated that poor woman. Rebecca told me all about it when she got in earlier this morning."

"I don’t have to take this. Just tell Cillie I was here," George got up and stormed out.

"And good riddence to him!" Mrs. Gladys snorted. "How did you sleep last night dear?" She turned to Rose.

"Oh, Jack and I slept on the floor, but next to Jack it was the softest floor around," Rose smiled dreamily. Mrs. Gladys laughed, seeing how Rose’s eyes shone with love and happiness at the mere mention of her husband.

"Ah to be young and newly married. There’s nothing like it."

"Well I guess I better head off for the market or we’ll have no dinner tonight," Rose suddenly remembered that she had told Mrs. Gladys that she’d go to the market .

"You be careful out there Rose. With that Rally in Eau Claire all kinds of riff raff are drifting into town," Mrs. Gladys warned as Rose skipped out of the house towards town.

*

Caledon Hockley arrived in Chippewa Falls that morning. His private investigator had told him that his fiancee was spotted in Eau Claire a couple of days before and he was on the next train there. The conductor recognized the picture of Rose, saying she was with a handsome blond man and when he showed the picture to the general store manager in Eau Claire his eyes lit up.

"That’s the girl who came in with the Dawson boy. Right pretty she was," The man grinned.

"Where were they heading?"
"Why to Chippewa Falls. The boy’s hometown. The people are friendly as can be."

So now Cal was wondering Chippewa Falls, in search of information on his missing fiancee. He was entering the market when he spotted the familiar red curls and green eyes. Rose certainly didn’t dress like the first class debutante she truly was, but her grace and stance told otherwise. He immediately strolled up and grabbed her arm roughly.

"There you are Rose. You mother thinks you’re dead and for a while so did I. Well you’ve had your fun, it’s time to come home. Now!"

"Think again. I’m not going anywhere with you," Rose struggled in his grasp, but Cal was too strong. She couldn’t get away.

"Of course you are! You’re my fiancee!"

"No I’m not and I’ll never be again! Rose Dewitt Bukater died on Titanic! You’re talking to Rose Dawson now! Officially!" Rose glared at Cal, finally shaking her arm loose and showing the wedding ring Jack had given her. "See."

Cal looked at the ring, strangely calm. So this was the way it was going to be? His fiancee had picked up and married another man? Well fine. Let Rose live in poverty if she wanted, but she was going to learn that no one crossed Caledon Hockley and got away with it. Just in time for George to see, he backhanded Rose, sending her to the floor.

"I was right the first time. You are a little slut, so you will be treated," Caledon moved towards her again just to run into George’s fist. Caledon fell to the ground and glared up at the strangely familiar blond man. Surely this couldn’t be Jack. The man was of heftier build than the gutterrat he had encountered on Titanic.

"Touch my cousin’s wife again and you will be getting more than a broken nose," the newcomer growled, helping Rose up off the ground.

"Thank you," Rose dusted off her dress and winced as George touched her already redding cheek.

"That’s going to leave a bruise," George commented, feeling disgusted not only with Cal, but by himself as well because this was how he had treated Cillie the night before.

"I suggest you stay out of this sir. This is between myself and my ex-fiancee there," Cal picked himself off the ground.

"No this is between you and me now. You mess with one Dawson, you mess with us all," George stood in front of Rose. "Now I suggest that you leave Chippewa Falls and never return."
"Not without what’s mine!" Cal glared at Rose.

"She’s no longer your fiancee I do believe," George crossed his arms.

"Not her you idiot! You can keep the little whore for all I care! I want my necklace! You know the one I’m talking about Rose! Where is it!"

"What are you talking about?"

"The heart of the ocean! Where is it?! I put it in my coat, which I put on you!"
"Oh that ratty thing? I threw it in the ocean the minute I stepped on the Carpathia!" Rose lied. "I decided the coat belonged at the bottom of the ocean along with everything else that belonged to my old life."

"Why you little…do you even know how much that necklace was worth!"

"Quite a lot I do believe."

"Why you…" Cal took a step towards Rose, but stopped when George took a step towards him.

"It serves you right Cal! Trying to buy your way off the ship, caring more about diamonds and money than human life! It’s too bad that all those children down in third class couldn’t buy their way onto a boat. But as I remember, neither could you. The last time you were seen you were standing on a boat batting all those poor people back into the freezing waters."

"Oh really my dear Rose. Do tell how you and your husband survived huh? What seat did the both of you take from a woman and child?" Cal glared at Rose.

Rose smiled sardonically. "None. We were rescued from the freezing waters. We were separated when the ship went down. I had found a board to lay on and Jack held onto a chair until help came. He almost died! If it wasn’t for Molly Brown he would have! So you see, our rescue was honorable. Not cowardly like yours."

Cal smirked. "Well enjoy your new life Rose. I hope you find yourself happy because you can never return to high society now. You wanted to be dead, well then you shall remain so. Come back to Philadelphia, I will tell all and ruin your reputation. Is this anyway unclear to you? Your old life is over."

"It’s perfectly clear Cal and I say good riddance. To both that life and you."

"Very well than. So long Rose," Cal brushed past George and disappeared into the crowd.

"So that was the great Caledon Hockley. Must say he doesn’t live up to all the hype," George looked after the departing man.

"George…I wanted to thank you for coming to my defense the way you did. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t," Rose looked at her husband’s cousin, noticing for the first time how much he resembled Jack.

"Well it was the least I could do with all the damage I done already. Besides, us Dawson’s stick together. Like I said, pick on one of us and you pick on all of us. Do you want me to walk you back to the boarding house or something?"
"I have to finish shopping," Rose picked up her basket.

"Well how about I help you and then we head back to the boarding house. That way if that Hockley shows back up I’ll be here."

Rose smiled. "Thank you."

"That’s what family is for."

*

Cillie was setting in the kitchen when Rose and George arrived. Cillie got to her feet when she saw George.

"What are you doing here?" She asked coldly.

"Walking Rose home," George replied. "Cillie…I have to apolagize to you. What I did was unexcusable. Jack’s right. You’re my wife, not my slave. I should respect your decisions and opinions just like you respect mine. I’m sorry I hit you. I really am."

"Rose?" Cillie looked at her cousin in law, confused at what brought this change on in George.

"He’s telling the truth Cillie. He sees the error of his ways," Rose nodded.

"My God Rose! What happened to you!" Cillie noticed the purple bruise on Rose’s cheek. "George did you do this?!" She goes up to her cousin to examine her face.

"No. You think I want Jack to kill me?" George shook his head.

"It was my ex-fiancee. Cal. He backhanded me when he saw I wasn’t going to come back to him," Rose explained. "George here saved me."

Cillie looked at her husband in shock. "You? You came to her defense?"

"Well my pa always said that if someone’s picking on a member of your family, you give them a right beating. No matter what," George shrugged. "I guess that was one good thing he taught me anyway."

"If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go upstairs and lay down for a bit. I’m exhausted from the morning activities," Rose sighed, heading upstairs. "If Jack comes home, tell him I’m upstairs."

"Sure Rose," Cillie nodded, before turning back to her husband. "And you…this may be the one thing that can make it right with Jack you know. Defending his wife like you did."

"Even if it doesn’t, I wouldn’t blame him. I hurt Jack bad saying what I did. I’ll be lucky if he even looks at me again."

Just then Jack walked in, having gotten off early because of a machinery break down. He stopped in his tracks when he sees George. "What are you doing here? Here to beat on Cillie again?"

"I deserved that," George sighed. "I was just walking Rose back from the market that’s all."

Jack’s eyes widened when he saw the bruise on Rose’s cheek. He grabbed George by his coat and pushed him against the wall. "What did you do?! What did you do to my wife!"

"Jack no! Stop!" Rose rushed to her husband and pulled on his shoulders. "He did nothing! It was Cal! It was Cal!"

"What?" Jack looked at Rose

"It was Cal. He showed up at the market. I guess he hired a private detective to find me. He backhanded me when he saw that I wasn’t going to return to Philadelphia with him. George here saved me. He ran up and punched Cal to the ground. After a few brief words, Cal left for good."

Jack looked at Rose and then at his cousin, then he letted him go. "I guess I owe you a thank-you."
"That’s what family is for Jack. Mess with one Dawson you mess with us all," George sighed. "But after what I said last night, I deserve every bit of your anger. I truly am sorry for that Jack. I really am."

"I guess you can remain in the house. After all, it’s the least I can do since you came to my wife’s defense against Caledon Hockley," Jack shrugged.

"You don’t owe me anything Jack…"

"No I do. Caledon Hockley can be downright deadly at times and you stood up to him. He could have taken Rose and I wouldn’t have seen her again, but you stopped that. So I owe you a lot."

"Are we friends again?" George tentatively asked.

"Just watch what you say about my parents."

"George grinned. "I will. I’m sorry Jack for hurting you the way I did. I’m sorry."
"All’s forgiven. Let’s put it behind us," Jack hugged his cousin, much to Rose’s relief. It was good to see the cousin’s back together.

"And George…I’m coming home. I do believe you’ve learned your lesson, but hit me again and I’m out of there," Cillie placed a hand on her husband’s shoulders.

"Understood," George nodded with a smiled. "Understood."

*

That night Rose took out the heart of the ocean necklace and examined it in the dim light of the moon. Jack walked in and sat beside her.

"He wanted this back so bad Jack. I told him that I threw it into the ocean. I just couldn’t part with it."

"Why?" Jack asked.

"Because it reminds me of you. Of that night you drew me wearing this…the night we first made love. Giving Cal this necklace would be like giving up those memories. And I can’t Jack. I can’t give up what we had."

"Then don’t Rose. Never let go of our memories, of our love."

"I won’t Jack. I’ll never let go Jack. I’ll never let go," Rose kissed him tenderly, then returns to gazing at the sparkling diamond, the memories dancing in the moonlight.

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